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1
WORKS
Jules Ve
EDITED BY
CHARLES F. HORNE. Ph.D.
Prolettor of Fnglkh, College of the Gtj of New Yock;
Author of 'The Technique of the Norel»*' etc.
F. Tyler Daniels Company, Inc.
NEW YORK . . . . LONDON
Cgpyrioht, 1911
BT Vincent Pa&kb and Ccacpant
CONTENTS
Volume Two
PAGB
Introduction 1
A Trip to the Center of the Earth ... 3
Adventures of Captain Hatteras
The English at the North Pole . . 211
347003
r
ILI.USTRATIONS
Volume Two
▼ii
PAGB
D/kNGBROus Neighbors .... Frontispiece
A Singular Forest 112
The Dweller in the Center .... 208
INTRODUCTION TO VOLUME TWO
AVING won the attention of the public with
'' Five Weeks in a Balloon,^ Jules Verne wrote
in rapid succession severed truly masterly tales.
Of these remarkable inventions of the human
mind, " A Journey to the Center of the Earth "
was the first to be completed in its present form. It was
published in 1864, in a series of books by Verne, denomi-
nated " Voyages Extraordinaires." This series, started in
that year by the publisher Hetzel, has been continued to the
present time.
This particular '' Voyage " has sometimes been declared
our author's masterpiece. In it he for the first time gives
free rein to that bold yet scientifically exact imagination
whereby he has constructed for us in fancy the entire uni-
verse. There is nothing in all the daring visions of this tale
which even to-day our scientists would declare impossible.
The interior of the earth is still unknown; and there may
well be rifts, passages, descending from extinct volcanoes
and penetrating far within. There may well be huge cavi-
ties, bubbles left in the cooling mass, vast enough to harbor
inland seas, and shelter many of the ancient forms of life
now extinct upon earth^'s surface.
The main scientific objection to this, as indeed to most of
the more fanciful of Verne's tales, lies in the extravagant
means he employs to bring his explorers home again from
their reckless ventures. But, as romance obviously demands
their return somehow, science discreetly accepts in silence
the astonishing accidents and coincidences whereby they es-
cape the doom they have invited.
- The other narrative included in the present volume, the
first book of '' The Adventures of Captain Hatteras/' was
also published by Hetsel in 1864, being begun even before
f
2 INTRODUCTION
the '' Journey to the Center of the Earth/* This vigorous
^Arctic tale was used to found and introduce a '' Magazine of
Adventure/* which has been continued somewhat irregularly
ever since. After the adventures, trials and triumphs of
Captain Hatteras had been completed in another tale, the
two were revised and republished; and they are here given
in their later form.
The first book, '' The English at the North Pole/* con-
tains an accurate picture of Arctic life and of the Arctic
geography known to the world of 1864. The account of
the Franklin expedition and of the persistent and heroic
search for its relief is carefully studied and complete, only
it necessarily fails to include the later investigations of the
American expedition under Lieutenant Schwatka. These
'finally settled the last details of the historic tragedy.
In '' The English at the North Pole ** as in " Five Weeks
in a Balloon/* Verne invents little. Here, despite the mis-'
leading title, the characters do not penetrate beyond known
bounds; and their experiences are just such as our author
had read in his careful study of the books of the polar ex-
plorers. But these adventures are here made intense and
living, and are woven by the born story-teller into a thrilling
tale.
A Trip to the Center of
the Earth
CHAPTER I
MY UNCLE MAKES A GREAT DISCOVERY
OOKING back to all that has occurred to me
since that eventful day, I am scarcely able to
believe in the reality of my adventures. They
were truly so wonderful that even now I am
bewildered when I think of them.
My uncle was a German, though I am Eng-
lish, he having married my mother's sister. Being very
much attached to his fatherless nephew, he invited me to
study imder him in his home in the fatherland. This home
was in a large town, and my imcle a professor of philos-
ophy, chemistry, geology, mmeralogy, and many other
ologies.
One day, after passing some hours in the laboratory—
my uncle being absent at the time — I suddenly felt the
necessity of renovating the tissues— i e., I was hungry,
and was about to rouse up our old French cook, when my
uncle. Professor Von Hardwigg, suddenly opened the street
door, and came rushing upstairs.
Now, Professor Hardwigg, my worthy uncle, is by no
means a bad sort of man; he is, however, choleric and
original. To hear with him means to obey; and scarcely
had his heavy feet resounded within our joint domicile
than he shouted for me to attend upon him. " Harry~
Harry — Harry ^^
I hastened to obey, but before I could reach his room,
jumping three steps at a time, he was stamping his right
foot upon the landing. " Harry ! *' he cried, in a frantic
tone, " are you coming up ? *'
To tell the truth, at that moment I was far more inter-
ested in the question as to what was to constitute our
dinner than in any problem of science; to me soup was
3
4 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
more in^fcting than soda, an omelette more tempting
than aritl^tic, and an artichoke of ten times more value
than any amount of asbestos. But my uncle was not a
man to be kept waiting; so adjourning all minor questions,
I presented myself before him.
He was a very learned man. Now, most persons in this
category supply themselves with information, as peddlers
do with goods, for the benefit of others, and lay up stores
in order to diffuse them abroad for the benefit of society
in general. Not so my excellent uncle. Professor Hard-
wigg; he studied, he consumed the midnight oil, he pored
over heavy tomes, and digested huge quartos and folios, in
order to keep the knowledge acquired to himself. There
was a reason, and it may be regarded as a good one, why
my uncle objected to display his learning more than was
absolutely necessary; he stammered, and when intent upon
explaining the phenomena of the heavens, was apt to find
himself at fault, and allude in such a vague way to sun,
moon, and stars, that few were able to comprehend his
meaning. To tell the honest truth, when tlie right word
would not come, it was generally replaced by a very power-
ful adjective.
In connection with the sciences there are many almost
unpronounceable names — names very much resembling
those of Welsh villages; and my uncle being very fond' of
using them, his habit • of stammering was not thei:eby im-
proved. In fact, there were periods in his discourse yvhen
he would finally give up and swallow his discomfiture — in
a glass of water.
As I said, my uncle. Professor Hardwigg. was a very
learned man ; and I now add a most kind relative. I was
bound to him by the double ties of aflFection and interest.
I took deep interest in all his doings, and hoped some day
to be almost as learned myself. It was a rare thing for me
to be absent from his lectures. Like him, I preferred min-
eralogy to all the other sciences. My anxiety was to gain
real knowledge of the earth. Geology and mineralogy
were to us the sole objects of life, and in connection with
these studies many a fair specimen of stone, chalk, or metal
did we break with our hammers.
But before I state the subject on which my uncle wisjjjjd
to confer with me, I must say a word about his personal
i
MY UNCLE'S GREAT DISCOVERY 5
appearance. Alas! my readers will see a \|^ different
portrait of him at a future time, after he has g^p through
the fearful adventures yet to be related.
My imcle was fifty years old; tall, thin, and wiry.
Large spectacles hid, to a certain extent, his vast, round
and goggle eyes, while his nose was irreverently compared
to a thin file. So much indeed did it resemble that useful
article, that a compass was said in his presence to have
made considerable deviation. The truth being told, how-
ever, the only article really attracted to my uncle's nose was
tobacco.
Another peculiarity of his was, that he always stepped a
yard at a time, clenched his fists as if he were going to hit
you, and was, when in one of his peculiar humors, very
far from a pleasant companion.
It is further necessary to observe, that he lived in a very
nice house, in that very nice street, the Konigstrasse at
Hamburg. Though lying in the center of a town, it was
perfectly rural in its aspect — half wood, half bricks, with
old-fashioned gables — one of the few old houses spared by
the great fire of 1842. When I say a nice house, I mean a
handsome house— old, tottering, and not exactly com-
fortable to English notions : a house a little off the perpen-
dicular and inclined to fall into the neighboring canal;
exactly the house for a wandering artist to depict ; all the
more that you could scarcely see it for ivy and a magnifi-
cent old. tree which grew over the door.
My uncle was rich; his house was his own property,
and he had a considerable private income. To my notion
the best part of his possessions was his goddaughter,
Gretchen, who unfortunately was away upon a visit on
that momentous day. The old cook, the young lady, the
Professor and I were the sole inmates of his home.
I loved mineralogy, I loved geology. To me there was
nothing like pebbles — and if my uncle had been in a little
less of a fury, we should have been the happiest of fami-
lies. To prove the excellent Hardwigg's impatience, I
solemnly declare that when the flowers in the drawing-
room pots began to grow, he rose every morning at four
o'clock to make them grow quicker by pulling the leaves!
Having described my uncle, I will now give an account
of our interview. He received me in his study; a perfect
6 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
museum, flpntaining every natural curiosity that can well
be imaging — ^minerals, however, predominating. Every
one was familiar to me, having been catalogued by my own
hand. My uncle, apparently oblivious of the fact that he
had summoned me to his presence, was absorbed in a book.
He was particularly fond of early editions, tall copies, and
unique works.
" Wonderful! '* he cried, tapping his forehead. " Won-
derful — wonderful!" It was one of those yellow-leaved
volumes now rarely found on stalls, and to me it appeared
to possess but little value. My uncle, however, was in rap-
tures. He admired its binding, the clearness of its charac-
ters, the ease with which it opened in his hand, and repeated
aloud, half-a-dozen times, that it was very, very old.
To my fancy he was making a great fuss about nothing,
but it was not my province to say so. On the contrary,
I professed considerable interest in the subject, and asked
him what it was about.
" It is the Heims-Kringla of Snorre Tarleson,'* he said,
" the celebl-ated Icelandic author of the twelfth century —
it is a true and correct account of the Norwegian princes
who reigned in Iceland/'
My next question related to the language in which it was
written. I hoped at all events it was translated into Ger-
man. My imcle was indignant at the very thought, and
declared he wouldn't give a penny for a translation. His
delight was to have found the original work in the Ice-
landic tongue, which he declared to be one of the most
magnificent and yet simple idioms in the world — while at
the same time its grammatical combinations were the most
varied known to students.
" About as easy as German ? " was my insidious remark.
My uncle shrugged his shoulders.
" The letters at all events," I said, " are rather difficult of
comprehension."
** It is a Runic manuscript, the language of the original
population of Iceland, invented by Odin himself," cried my
uncle, angry at my ignorance.
I was about to venture upon some misplaced joke on the
subject, when a small scrap of parchment fell out of the
leaves. Like a hungry man snatching at a morsel of bread
the Professor .seized it. It was about five inches by three
MY UNCLE'S GREAT DISCOVERY 7
and was scrawled over in the most extraordinary fashion.
The lines opening the next chapter are an exact fac-
simile of what was written on the venerable piece of parch-
ment — ^and have wonderful importance, as they induced my
uncle to tmdertake the most wonderful series of adventures
which ever fell to the lot of human beings.
My uncle looked keenly at the document for some mo-
ments and then declared that it was Runic. The letters
were similar to those in the book, but then what did they
mean ? This was exactly what I wanted to know.
Now, as I had a strong conviction that the Runic alpha-
bet and dialect were simply an invention to m)rstify poor
human nature, I was delighted to find that my tmcle loiew as
much about the matter as I did — ^which was nothing. !At
all events, the tremulous motion of his fingers made me
think so.
" And yet,'* he muttered to himself, " it is old Icelandic,
I am sure of it."
My imcle ought to have known, for he was a perfect
polyglot dictionary in himself. He did not pretend, like
a certain learned pundit, to speak the two thousand lan-
guages and four thousand idioms made use of in different
parts of the globe, but he did know all the more important
"ones.
It is a matter of great doubt to me now, to what violent
measures my uncle's impetuosity might have led him, had
not the clock struck two, and our old French cook called
out to let us know that dinner was on the table.
" Bother the dinner ! " cried my uncle. But I was hun-
gry, I sallied forth to the dining-room, where I took up my
usual quarters. Out of politeness I waited three minutes,
but no sign of my uncle, the Professor. I was surprised.
He was not usually so blind to the pleasure of a good din-
ner. It was the acme of German luxury — ^parsley soup, a
ham omelette with sorrel trimmings, an oyster of veal stewed
with prunes, delicious fruit, and sparkling Moselle. For
the sake of poring over that musty old piece of parchment,
mv uncle forbore to share our meal. To satisfy my con-
science, I ate for both.
The old cook and housekeeper was nearly out of her mind.
After taking so much trouble, to find her master not appear
at dinner was to her a sad disappointment — which, as she
8 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
watched the havoc I was making on the viands^ became also
alann. If my uncle were to come to table after all?
Suddenly, just as I had consumed the last apple and drank
the last glass of wine, a terrible voice was heard at no great
distance. It was my uncle roaring for me to come to him.
I made very nearly one leap of it — so loud, so fierce was his
tone.
CHAPTER II
THE MYSTERIOUS PARCHMENT
XAkbhH +H/K+h+b H+^^Klbh
mtHHYF hk+^ri+F kltbiKft
♦Ytk1+1 KM + K1^ iK/Mh4l
^thi1/k .kHK/kr I+115H
rrbAYi -e+hi^hh FAiki^h
b't^Mr kH4^IB|^ r*bllt
" I declare/' cried my uncle, striking the table fiercely
with his fist, " I declare to you it is Runic — ^and contains
some wonderful secret, which I must get at, at any price."
I was about to reply when he stopped me. " Sit down,"
he said, quite fiercely, " and write to my dictation."
I obeyed. " I will substitute," he said, " a letter of our
alphabet for that of the Runic : we will then see what that
will produce. Now, begin and make no mistakes."
The dictation commenced with the following incompre-
hensible result : —
m.mlls esruel seecJde
sgtssmf unteief niedrke
kt,samn airateS Saodrrn
emtnael nuaect rrilSa
Atvaar .nscrc ieaabs
ccdrnti eeuiul frantu
dt,iac oseibo Kediil
Scarcely giving me time to finish, my uncle snatched the
document from my hands and examined it with the most rapt
and deep attention.
" I should like to know what it means," he said, after a
long period.
I certainly could not tell him, nor did he expect me to — •
his conversation being tmiformly answered by himself.
THE MYSTERIOUS PARCHMENT 9
** I declare it puts me in mind of a cryptograph," he cried,
" unless, indeed, the letters have been written without any
real meaning; and yet why take so much trouble? Who
knows but I may be on the verge of some great discovery? "
My candid opinion was that it was all rubbish 1 But this
opinion I kept carefully to myself, as my uncle's choler was
not pleasant to bear. All this time he was comparing the
book with the parchment
" The manuscript volume and the smaller document are
written in different hands," he said, "the cryptograph is
of much later date than the book; there is an undoubted
proof of the correctness of my surmise. The first letter is
a double M, which was only added to the Icelandic lan-
guage in the twelfth century — ^this makes the parchment
two hundred years posterior to the volume."
The circumstance appeared very probable and very logical,
but it was all surmise to me.
** To me it appears probable that this sentence was writ-
ten by some owner of the book. Now who was the owner,
is the next important question. Perhaps by great good luck
it may be written somewhere in the volume."
With these words Professor Hardwigg took off his spec-
tacles, and, taking a powerful magnifying glass, examined
the book carefully.. On the fly leaf was what appeared to
be a blot of ink, but on examination proved to be a line of
writing almost effaced by time. This was what he sought
and, after some considerable time, he made out these letters :
" /Crae Saknussemm 1 *' he cried in a joyous and trium-
phant tone, ** that is not only an Icelandic name, but of a
learned professor of the sixteenth century, a celebrated
alchemist."
I bowed as a sign of respect.
"These alchemists," he continued, "Avicena, Bacon,
Lully, Paracelsus, were the true, the only learned men of the
day. They made surprising discoveries. May not this Sak-
nussemm, nephew mine, have hidden on this bit of parch-
ment some astounding invention ? I believe the cryptograph
to have a profound meaning — which I must make out."
My uncle walked about the room in a state of excitemeiA
almost impossible to describe.
t
lo TO THE CENTER OE THE EARTH
^ It may be so, sir," I timidly observed, " but why con-
ceal it from posterity, if it be a useful, a worthy discovery? "
**,Why — ^how should I know? Did not Galileo make a
secret of his discoveries in connection with Saturn? But
we shall see. Until I discover the meaning of this sentence
I will neither eat nor sleep/'
" My dear uncle '' I began.
" Nor you either/' he added. It iwas luclq; I had taken
double allowance that day.
" In the first place/' he continued, ** there must be a clue
to the meaning. If we could find that, the rest would be
easy enough."
I began seriously to reflect The prospect of going with-
out food and sleep was not a promising one, so I deter-
mined to do my best to solve the mystery. My uncle, mean-
while, went on with his soliloquy.
** The way to discover it is easy enough. In this docu-
ment there are one hundred and thirty-two letters, giving
seventy-nine consonants to fifty-three vowels. This is about
the proportion found in most southern languages, the idioms
of the north being much more rich in consonants. We may
confidently predict, therefore, that we have to deal with a
southern dialect"
Nothing could be more logical.
** Now," said Professor Hardwigg^ " to ?race the partic-
ular language."
" As Sh^espeare says, * that is the question/ " jvas my
rather satirical reply.
"This man Saknussemm," he continued, "was a very
learned man: now as he did not write in the language of
his birth-place, he probably, like most learned men of the
sixteenth century, wrote in Latin. If, however, I prove
wrong in this guess, we must try Spanish, French, Italian,
Greek, and even Hebrew. My own opinion, though, is
decidedly in favor of Latin."
This proposition startled me. Latin was my favorite
study, and it seemed sacrilege to believe this gibberish to
belong to the country of Virgil.
"Barbarous Latin, in all probability,*' continued my
uncle, " but still Latin."
" Very probably," I replied, not to contradict him.
" Let us see into the matter," continued my uncle ; " here
THE MYSTERIOUS PARCHMENT ii
you see we have a series of one hundred and thirty-two
letters, apparently thrown pell-mell upon paper, without
method or organization. There are words which are com-
posed wholly of consonants, such as m.mlls, others which
are nearly all vowels, the fifth, for instance, which is unteief,
and one of the last oseibo. This appears an extraordinary
combination. Probably we shall find that the phrase is ar-
ranged according to some mathematical plan. No doubt a
certain sentence has been written out and then jumbled up
— some plan to which some figure is the clue. Nowj, Harry,
to show your English wit — what is that figure ? "
I could give him no hint. My thoughts were mdeecl
far away. While he was speaking I had caught sight of
the portrait of my cousin Gretchen, and was wondering
when she would return. We were affianced, and loved one
another very sincerely. But my uncle, who never thought
of such sublunary matters, knew nothing of this. Without
noticing my abstraction, the Professor began reading the
puzzling cryptograph all sorts of ways, according to some
theory of his own. Presently, rousing my wandering at-
tention, he dictated one precious attempt to me.
I mildly handed it over to him. It read as follows :— t
fnessunkaSenrAAcefdoK.segnittamurtn
ecertserrette,rotaivsadua,ednecsedsadne
lacartniiiluJsiratracSarbmutabiledfnek
meretarcsilucoIsleffenSnl.
I could scarcely keep from laughing, while my uncle,
on the contrary, got in a towering passion, struck tiie table
with his fist, darted out of the room, out of the house, and
then taking to his heels was presently lost to sight
CHAPTER III
AN ASTOUNDING DISCOVERY
"What is the matter?'* cried the cook', entering the
room; " when will master have his dinner? "
•* Never.''
" And, his supper? "
" I don't know. He says he will eat no more, neither
shall I. My uncle has determined to fast and make me
fast until he reads this abominable inscription," I replied.
12 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
•* You will be starved to death," she said.
I was very much of the same opinion, but not liking to
say so, sent her away, and began some of my usual work
of classification. But busy as I made myself, nothing
could keep me from thinking alternately of the stupid manu-
script and of the pretty Gretchen.
Several times I was tempted to go out, but my uncle
would have been angry at my absence. At the end of an
hour, my allotted task was done. How to pass the time?
I began by lighting my pipe. Like all other students, I
delighted in tobacco; and, seating myself in the great arm-
chair, I began to meditate.
Where was my uncle ? I could easily imagine him tear-
ing along some solitary road, gesticulating, talking to him-
self, cutting the air with his cane, and still thinking of the
absurd bit of hieroglyphics. Would he hit upon some clue?
Would he come home in better humor? While these
thoughts were passing through my brain, I mechanically
took up the execrable puzzle and tried every imaginable way
of grouping the letters. I put them together by twos, by
threes, fours, and fives — in vain. Nothing intelligible came
out, except that the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth made
ice in English; the eighty- fourth, eighty-fifth and eighty-
sixth, the word sir; then at last I seemed to find the Latin
words rota, mutabile, ira, nee, atra.
"Ha! there seems to be some truth in my uncle's no-
tion,'* thought I.
Then again I seemed to find the word luco, which means
sacred wood. Then in the third line I appeared to make
out labiled, a perfect Hebrew word, and at the last the
syllables mire, are, mer, which were French. It was enough
to drive one mad. Four different idioms in this absurd
phrase. What connection could there be between ice, sir,
anger, cruel, sacred wood, changing, mother, are and sea?
The first and the last might, in a sentence connected with
Iceland, mean sea of ice. But what of the rest of this
monstrous cryptograph?
I was, in fact, fighting against an insurmountable diffi-
culty; my brain was almost on fire; my eyes were strained
with staring at the parchment ; the whole absurd collection
of letters appeared to dance before my vision in a number
of black little groups. My mind was possessed with tern-
AN ASTOUNDING DISCOVERY 13
porary hallucination — I was stifling. I wanted air. Me-
chanically I fanned myself with the document, of .which
now I saw the back and then the front.
Imagine my surprise when glancing at the back of the
wearisome puzzle, the ink having gone through, I clearly
made out Latin words, and among others craterem and
terrestre.
I had discovered the secret 1 It came upon me like a
flash of lightning. I had got the clue. All you had to do
to understand the document was to read it backwards. AH
the ingenious ideas of the Professor were realized; he had
dictated it rightly to me ; by a mere accident I had discovered
what he so much desired.
My delight, my emotion may be imagined, my eyes were
dazzled and I trembled so that at first I could make nothing
of it. One look, however, would tell me all I wished to
know.
**Let me read," I said to myself, after drawing a long
breath. I spread it before me on the table, I passed my
finger over each letter, I spelt it through ; in my excitement
I read it out
What horror and stupefaction took possession of my
soul. I was like a man who had received a knock-down
blow. Was it possible that I really read the terrible secret,
and it had really been accomplished! A' man had dared
to do— what ?
No living being should ever know " Never ! " cried I,
jumping up; " Never shall my uncle be made aware of the
dread secret. He would be quite capable of undertaking
the terrible journey. Nothing would check him, nothing
stop him. Worse, he would compel me to accompany him,
and we should be lost forever. But no; such folly and
madness cannot be allowed."
I was almost beside myself with rage and fury. " My
worthy uncle is already nearly mad," I cried aloud. " This
would finish him. By some accident he may make the
discovery; in which case, we are both lost. Perish the
fearful secret — let the flames forever bury it in oblivion."
I snatched up book and parchment, and was about to cast
them into the fire, when the door opened and my uncle
entered. I had scarcely time to put down the wretched
documents before my uncle was by my side. He was
14 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
profoundly absorbed. His thoughts were evidently bent
on the terrible parchment. Some new combination had
probably struck him while taking his walk. He seated him-
self in his arm-chair, and with a pen began to make an
algebraical calculation. I watched him with anxious eyes.
My flesh crawled as it became probable that he would dis-
cover the secret His combinations I knew were useless,
I having discovered the one only clue. For three mortal
hours he continued without speaking a word, without rais-
ing his head, scratching, re-writing, calculating over and
over again. I knew that in time he must hit upon
the right phrase. The letters of every alphabet have
only a certain number of combinations. But then years
might elapse before he would arrive at the correct solu-
tion.
Still time went on; night came, the sounds in the streets
ceased — and still my uncle went on, not even answering our
worthy cook when she called us to supper. I did not dare
to leave him, so waved her away, and at last fell asleep on
the sofa.
When I awoke my imcle was still at work. His red
eyes, his pallid countenance, his matted hair, his feverish
hands, his hecticly flushed cheeks, showed how terrible had
been his struggle with the impossible, and what fearful
fatigue he had undergone during that long sleepless night.
It made me quite ill to look at him. Though he was raSier
severe with me, I loved him, and my heart ached at his
sufferings. He was so overcome by one idea that he could
not even get in a passion ! AH his energies were f ocussed
on one point. And I knew that by speaking one little word
all this suffering would cease. I could not speak it
My heart was, nevertheless, inclining towards him. Why,
then, did I remain silent? In the interest of my uncle
himself. " Nothing shall make me speak," I muttered.
" He will want to foltow in the footsteps of the other! I
know him well. His imagination is a perfect volcano, and
to make discoveries in the interests of geology he would
sacrifice his life. I wiH therefore be silent and strictly
keep the secret I have discovered. To reveal it would be
suicidal. He would not only rush, himself, to destruction,
but drag me with him." I crossed my arms, looked an-
other way and smoked-— resolved never to speak.
AN ASTOUNDING DISCOVERY 15
When our cook wanted to go out to market, or on any
other errand, she found the front door locked and the key
taken away. Was this done purposely or not ? Surely Pro-
fessor Hardwigg did not intend the old woman and myself
to become martyrs to his obstinate will. Were we to be
starved to death? A frightful recollection came to my
mind. Once we had fed on bits and scraps for a week while
he sorted some curiosities. It gave me the cramp even to
think of it!
I wanted my breakfast, and I saw no way of getting it.
Still my resolution held good. I would starve rather than
yield. But the cook began to take me seriously to task.
What was to be done? She couM not go out; and I dared
not
My uncle continued counting and writing; his imagi-
nation seemed to have translated him to the skies. He
neither thought of eating nor drinking. In this way
twelve o'clock came round. I was hungry, and there was
nothing in the house. The cook had eaten the last bit of
bread. This could not go on. It did, however, until two,
when my sensations were terrible. After all, I began to
think the document very absurd. Perhaps it might only
be a gigantic hoax. Besides, some means would surely be
found to keep my uncle back from attempting any such
absurd expedition. On the other hand, if he did attempt
anything so Quixotic, I should not be compelled to ac-
company him. Another line of reasoning partially decided
me. Very likely he would make the discovery himself
when I should have suffered starvation for nothing. Under
the influence of hunger this reasoning appeared admirable.
I determined to tell alL
The question now arose as to how it was to be done. I
was still dwelling on the thought, when he rose and put on
his hat What ! go out and lock us in ? Never !
" Uncle," I began.
He did not appear even to hear me.
" Professor Hardwigg," I cried.
" What," he retorted, " did you speak? "
" How about the key? "
" What key— the key of the door? "
" No— of these horrible hieroglyphics ? "
He looked at me from under his spectacles, and started
i6 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
at the odd expression of my face. Rushing forward, he
clutched me by the arm and keenly examined my counte-
nance. His very look was an interrogation. I simply
nodded.
With an incredulous shrug of the shoulders, he turned
upon his heel. Undoubtedly he tiiought I had gone mad.
" I have made a very important discovery."
His eyes flashed with excitement. His hand was lifted
in a menacing attitude. For a moment neither of us spoke.
It is hard to say which was most excited.
" You don't mean to say that you have any idea of the
meaning of the scrawl? "
" I do," was my desperate reply. " L6ok at the sentence
as dictated by you.
" Well, but it means nothing," was the angry answer.
" Nothing if you read from left to right, but mark, if
from right to left "
"Backwards!" cried my uncle, in wild amazement
" Oh most cunning Saknussemm ; and I to be such a block-
head." He snatched up the document, gazed at it with
haggard eye, and read it out as I had done. It read as
follows : —
In Sneffels yoculis craterem kern delebai
Umbra Scartaris Jtdii intra calefuias descetide.
lAudas viator, et terrestre centrum attinges.
Kod feci. ^Arne Saknusscfnm.
Which dog-Latin being translated, reads as follows:
" Descend into the crater ^ YocuLof Sneffels, which the
shade of Scartaris caresses, before the kalends of July,
audacious traveler, and you will reach the center of the
earth. I did it Arne Saknussemm."
My uncle leaped three feet from the ground widi joy.
He looked radiant and handsome. He rushed about the
room wild with delight and satisfaction. He knocked over
tables and chairs. He threw his books about until at last
utterly exhausted, he fell into his arm-chair. "What's
o'clock ? " he asked.
" About three."
" My dinner does not seem to have done me much good,"
he observed, " Let me have something to eat We can then
start at once. Get my portmanteau ready."
" What fo/c -
AN ASTOUNDING. DISCOVERY 17
** And your own," he continued. " We start at once."
My horror may be conceived. I resolved however to
show no fear. Scientific reasons were the only ones likely
to influence my uncle. Now, there were many against this
terrible journey. The very idea of going down to the cen-
ter of the earth was simply absurd. I determined there-
fore to argue the point after dinner.
My uncle's rage was now directed against the cook for
having no dinner ready. My explanation however satis-
fied him, and giving her the key she soon contrived to get
sufficient to satisfy our voracious appetities.
During the repast my uncle was rather gay than other-
wise. He made some of those peculiar jokes which belong
exclusively to the learned. As soon however as dessert
wa:s over, he called me to his study. We each took a chair
on opposite sides of the table.
" Henry," he said, in a soft and winning voice; ** I have
always believed you ingenious, and you have rendered me
a service never to be forgotten. Without you, this great,
this wondrous discovery would never have been made.
It is my duty, therefore, to insist on your sharing the
glory."
" He is in a good humor," thought I ; " I'll soon let him
know my opinion of glory."
** In the first place," he continued, " you must keep the
whole affair a profound secret. There is no more envious
race of men than scientific discoverers. Many would start
on the same journey. At all events, we will be the first
in the field."
I doubt your having many competitors," was my reply.
A man of real scientific acquirements would be de-
lighted at the chance. We should find a perfect stream
of pilgrims on the traces of Ame Saknussemm, if this docu-
ment were once made public."
** But my dear sir, is not this paper very likely to be a
hoax ? " I urged.
" The book in which we find it is sufiicient proof of its
authenticity," he replied.
'* I thoroughly allow that the celebrated Professor wrote
the lines, but only, I believe, as a kind of mystification,"
was my answer.
Scarcely were the words out of my mouth, when I was
n
i8 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
sorry I had uttered them. My uncle looked at me with a
dark and gloomy scowl, and I began to be alarmed for the
results of our conversation. His mood soon changed, how-
ever, and a smile took the place of a frown. ".We shall
see,'* he remarked, with decisive emphasis.
"But see, what is all this about Yocul, and Sneffels,
and this Scartaris? I have never heard anything about
them.''
"The very point to which I am coming. I lately re-
ceived from my friend, Augustus Peterman, of Leipzig, a
map. Take down the third atlas from the second shelf,
series Z, plate 4."
I rose, went to the shelf, and presently returned with the
volume indicated.
" This," said my uncle, " is one of the best maps of Ice-
land. I believe it will settle all your doubts, difficulties and
objections."
With a grim hope to the contrary, I stooped over the
map.
CHAPTER IV
WE START ON THE JOURNEY
"You see, the whole island is made up of volcanoes,"
said the Professor, " and note that they all bear the name
of Yokul. The word is Icelandic, and means a glacier.
In most of the lofty mountains of that region the volcanic
eruptions come forth from ice-bound caverns. Hence the
name applied to every volcano on this extraordinary
island."
" But what does this word Sneffels mean ? "
To this question I expected no rational answer. I was
mistaken. " Follow my finger to the western coast of Ice-
land, there you see Reykjawik, its capital. Follow the
direction of one of its innumerable fjords or arms of the
sea, and what do you see below the sixty-fifth degree of
latitude?"
" A peninsula — ^very like a thigh-bone in shape."
" And in the center of it ? "
" A mountain."
"Well, that's Sneffels."
I had nothing to say.
1
WE START ON THE JOURNEY 19
" That is SneflFels — a mountain about five thousand feet
in height, one of the most remarkable in the whole island,
and certainly doomed to be the most celebrated in the world,
for through its crater we shall reach the Center of the
Earth/'
" Impossible ! " cried I, startled and shocked at the
thought.
"Why impossible?" said Professor Hardwigg in his
severest tones.
" Because its crater is choked with lava, by burning rocks
— ^by infinite dangers."
"But if it be extinct?"
" That would make a difference."
"Of course it would. There are about three hundred
volcanoes on the whole surface of the globe — ^but the
greater number are extinct. Of these Sneffels is one. No
eruption has occurred since 1219 — in fact it has ceased to
be a volcano at all."
After this what more could I say? Yes — I thought of
another objection. " But what is aH this about Scartaris
and the kalends of July ? "
My uncle reflected deeply. Presently he gave forth the
result of his reflections in a sententious tone. " What ap-
pears obscure to you, to me is light. This very phrase
shows how particular Saknussemm is in his directions.
The Sneffels' mountain has many craters. He is careful
therefore to point the exact one which is the highway into
the Interior of the Earth. He lets us know, for this pur-
pose, that about the end of the month of June, the shadow
of Mount Scartaris falls upon the one crater. There can
be no doubt about the matter."
My uncle had an answer for everything. " I accept all
your explanations," I said, " and Saknussemm is right. He
found out the entrance to the bowels of the earth, he has
indicated correctly, but that he or anyone else ever followed
up the discovery, is madness to suppose."
" Why so, young man ? " *
"All scientific teaching, theoretical and practical, shows
it to be impossible."
" I care nothing for theories," retorted my uncle.
" But is it not well-known that heat increases one degree
for every seventy feet you descend into the earth? which
20 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
gives a fine idea of the central heat All the matters which
compose the globe are in a state of incandescence; even
gold, platinum, and the hardest rocks are in a state of fusion.
What would become of us? "
" Don't be alarmed at the heat, my boy/*
"How so?"
"Neither you nor anybody else knows anything about
the real state of the earth's interior. All modem experi-
ments tend to explode the older theories. Were any such
heat to exist, the upper crust of the earth would be shat-
tered to atoms, and the world would be at an end."
A long, learned and not uninteresting discussion followed,
which ended in this : " I do not believe in the dangers and
difficulties which you, Henry, seem to multiply; and
the only way to learn, is like Ame Saknussemm, to go
and see."
"Well," cried I, overcome at last, "let us go and see-
Though how we can do that in the dark is another
mystery."
"Fear nothing. We shall overcome these, and many
other difficulties. Besides, as we approach the Center, I
expect to find it luminous-
Nothing is impossible."
"And now that we have come to a thorough under-
standing, not a word to any living souL Our success de-
pends on secrecy and despatch."
Thus ended our memorable conference, which roused a
perfect fever in me. Leaving my uncle, I went forth like
one possessed. Reaching the banks of the Elbe, I began to
think. Was all I had heard really and truly possible ? Was
my uncle in his sober senses, and could the interior of the
earth be reached? Was I the victim of a madman, or was
he a discoverer of rare courage and grandeur of conception?
To a certain extent I was anxious to be off. I was
afraid my enthusiasm would cool. I determined to pack
up at once. At the end of an hour, however, on my way
home, I found that my feelings had very much changed.
" I'm all abroad," I cried ; " 'tis a nightmare — I must have
dreamed it."
At this moment I came face to face with Gretchen, whom
I warmly embraced. ** So you have come to meet me," she
said ; " how good of you. But what is the matter ? "
WE START ON THE JOURNEY 21
Well, it was no use mincing the matter, I told her all.
She listened with awe, and for some minutes she could not
speak. " Well ? " I at last asked, rather anxiously.
"What a magnificent journey. If I were only a manl
lAI journey worthy of the nephew of Professor Hardwigg.
I should look upon it as an honor to accompany him.'*
"My dear Gretchen, I thought you would be the first
to cry out against this mad enterprise."
" No ; on the contrary, I glory in it. It is magnificent,
splendid — ^an idea worthy of my father. Henry Lawson,
I envy you."
This was, as it were, conclusive. The final blo^y of all.
When we entered the house we found my uncle sur-
rounded by workmen and porters, who were packing up.
He was pulling and hauling at a bell. \ Where have you
been wasting your time? Your portmanteau is not packed
— my papers are not in order — the precious tailor has not
brought my clothes, nor my gaiters — the key of my carpet
bag is gone!"
I looked at him stupefied. And still he tugged away at
the bell. " We are really off, then? " I said.
" Yes— of course, and yet you go out for a stroll, unfor-
tunate boy I "
" And when do we go ? "
** The day after to-morrow, at daybreak."
I heard no more ; but darted off to my little bedchamber
and locked myself in. There was no doubt about it now.
My uncle had been hard at work all the afternoon. The
garden was full of ropes, rope-ladders, torches, gourds,
iron clamps, crow-bars, alpenstocks, and pickaxes — enough
to load ten men.
I passed a terrible night. I was called early the next
day to learn that the resolution of my uncle was unchanged
and irrevocable. I also found my cousin and affianced wife
as warm on the subject as was her father.
Next day, at five o'clock in the morning, the post-chaise
was at tlv* door. Gretchen and the old cook received the
keys of the house; and, scarcely pausing to wish anyone
good-bye, we started on our adventurous journey into the
Center of the Earth.
CHAPTER V
FIRST LESSONS IN CUMBING
At Mtona, a suburb of Hamburg, is the Chief Station
6f the Kiel railway, which was to tike us to the shores of
the Belt; and exactly at seven o'clock we were seated op-
posite each other in a first-class railway carriage. My uncle
said nothing. He was too busy examining his papers,
among' which of course was the famous parchment, and
some letters of introduction from the Danish consul, which
were to pave the way to an introduction to the Governor
of Iceland. In three hours we reached Kiel, and our bag-
gage was at once transferred to the steamer.
We had now a day before us, a delay of about ten hours.
Which fact put my uncle in a towering passion. We had
nothing to do but to walk about the pretty town and bay.
At length, however, we went on board, and at half past
ten were steaming down the Great Belt. The next morn-
ing we reached Copenhagen, where, scarcely taking time for
refreshment, my uncle hurried out to present one of his
letters of introduction. It was to the director of the
Museum of Antiquities, who having been informed that
we were tourists bound for Iceland, did all he could to as-
sist us. One wretched hope sustained me now. Perhaps
no vessel was bound for such distant parts.
Alas! a little Danish schooner, the Valkyrie, was to sail
on the second of June for Reykjawik. The captain, M.
Bjame, was on board, and was rather surprised at the
energy and cordiality with which his future passenger shook
him by the hand. To him a voyage to Iceland was merely
a matter of course. My uncle, on the other hand, consid-
ered the event of sublime importance. The honest sailor
took advantage of the Professor's enthusiasm to double
the fare.
" On Tuesday morning at seven o'clock be on board,"
said M. Bjame, handing us our receipts.
" Excellent ! Capital ! Glorious ! " remarked my uncle
as we sat down to a late breakfast; " refresh yourself, my
boy, and we will take a rim through the town."
Our meal concluded, we went to the Kongens-Nye-
Torw; to the king's magnificent palace; to the beautiful
bridge over the canal near the Museum; to the immense
cenotaph of Thorwaldsen with its hideous naval groups; to
22
FIRST LESSONS IN CLIMBING 23
the castle of Rosenberg; and to all the other lions of the
place, — ^none of which my uncle even saw, so absorbed was
he in his anticipated triumphs.
But one thing struck his fancy, and that was a certain
singular church steeple situated on the Island of Amak,
which is the south-east quarter of the city of Copenhagen.
My uncle at once ordered me to turn my steps that way.
This church exhibited nothing remarkable in itself; in fact,
the worthy Professor had only been attracted to it by one
circumstance, which was, that its rather elevated steeple
started from a circular platform, after which there was an
exterior staircase, which wound round to the very summit.
Let us ascend," said my uncle.
But I never could climb church towers/' I cried, "I
am subject to dizziness in my head."
"The very reason why you should go up. I want to
cure you of a bad habit"
** But my good sir "
**I tell you to come. What is the use of wasting so
much valuable time ? "
It was impossible to dispute the dictatorial commands of
my uncle. I yielded with a groan. On payment of a
fee, a verger gave us the key. He, for one, was not partial
to the ascent. My uncle at once showed me the way, run-
ning up the steps like a school-boy. I followed as well as
I could, though no sooner was I outside the tower, than
my head began to swim. There was nothing of the eagle
about me. The earth was enough for me, and no ambi-
tious desire to soar ever entered my mind. Still things did
not go badly until I had ascended 150 steps, and was near
the platform, when I began to feel the rush of cold air.
I could scarcely stand, when clutching the railings, I looked
upwards. The railing was frail enough, but notliing to
those which skirted the terrible winding staircase, that
appeared, from where I stood, to ascend to the skies.
Now then, Henry."
I can't do it! " I cried, in accents of despair.
Are you, after all, a coward, sir? " said my uncle in a
pitiless tone. " Go up, I say ! "
To this there was no reply possible. And yet the keen
air acted violently on my nervous system; sky, earth, all
seemed to swim round ; while the steeple rocked like a ship.
it
€t
24 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
My legs gave way like thbse of a drunken man. I crawled
upon my hands and knees; I hauled myself up slowly, crawl-
ing like a snake. Presently I closed my eyes, and allowed
myself to be dragged upwards.
Look around you/' said my tmcle, in a stem voice,
heaven knows what profound abysses you may have to
look down. This is excellent practice."
Slowly, and shivering all the while with cold, I opened
my eyes. What then did I see? My first glance was up-
wards at the cold fleecy clouds, which as by some optical
delusion appeared to stand still, while the steeple, the
weathercock, and our two selves were carried swiftly along.
Far away on one side could be seen the grassy plain, wliile
on the other lay the sea bathed in translucent light The
Sund, or Sound as we call it, could be discovered beyond
the point of Elsinore, crowded with white sails, which, at
that distance, looked like the wings of sea-gulls; while to
the east could be made out the far-ofif coast of Sweden.
The whole appeared a magic panorama.
Faint and bewildered as I was, there was no remedy
for it Rise and stand up I must Despite my protesta-
tions my first lesson lasted quite an hour. When, nearly
two hours later, I reached the bosom of mother earth, I
was like a rheumatic old man bent double with pain.
Enough for one day,'* said my uncle, rubbing his hands,
we will begin again to-morrow."
There was no remedy. My lessons lasted five days, and
at the end of that period, I ascended blithely enough, and
found myself able to look down into the deptlis below jvith-
out even winking, and with some degree of pleasure.
CHAPTER VI
OUR VOYAGE TO ICELAND
The hour of departure came at last The night before,
the worthy Mr. Thompson brought us the most cordial let-
ters of introduction for Count Trampe, Governor of Ice-
land, for M. Pictursson, coadjutor to the bishop, and for
M. Finsen, mayor of the town of Reykjawik. In return,
my uncle nearly crushed his hands, so warmly did he shake
them.
4t
OUR VOYAGE TO ICELAND 25
On the second of the month, at two in the morning, our
{Hrecious cargo of luggage was taken on board the good
ship Valkyrie. We followed, and were very politely in-
troduced by the captain to a small cabin with two stand-
ing bed places, neither very well ventilated nor very com-
fortable. But in the cause of science men are expected to
suffer.
" Well, and have we a fair wind ? " cried my uncle, in
his most mellifluous accents.
"An excellent wind!" replied Captain Bjame; "we
shall leave the Sound, going free with all sails set." A
few minutes afterwards, the schooner started before the
wind, under all the canvas she could carry, and entered the
channel. An hour later, the capital of Denmark seemed to
sink into the waves, and we were at no great distance from
the coast of Elsinore. My uncle was delighted ; for myself,
moody and dissatisfied, I appeared almost to expect a
glimpse of the ghost of Hamlet
" Sublime madman," thought I, ** you doubtless, would
approve our proceedings. You might perhaps even follow
us to the center of the earth, there to resolve your eternal
doubts."
" How long win the voyage last ? " asked my tmcle.
" Well, I should think about ten days," replied the skip-
per, " unless, indeed, we meet with some north-east gales
among the Faroe Islands."
"At all events, there will be no very considerable de-
lay," cried the impatient Professor.
" No, Mr. Hardwigg," said the captain, " no fear of that.
At all events, we shall get there some day."
The voyage offered no incident worthy of record. I bore
it very well, but my uncle to his great annoyance, and
even shame, was remarkably sea-sick! This mal de met
troubled him the more, that it prevented him from ques-
tioning Captain Bjame as to the subject of Sneffels, as to
the means of communication, and the facilities of transport
All these explanations he had to adjourn to the period of
his arrival. His time meanwhile, was spent lying in bed
groaning, and dwelling anxiously on the hoped-for termi-
nation of the voyage. I did not pity him.
On the eleventh day we sighted Cape Portland, over
which towered Moimt Myrdals Yokul, which, the weather
26 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
being clear, we made out very readily. The cape itself is
nothing but a huge mount of granite standing naked and
alone to meet the Atlantic waves. The Valkyrie kept off
the coast, steering to the westward. On all sides were to
be seen whole " schools " of whales and sharks. After
some hours we came in sight of a solitary rock in the ocean,
forming a mighty vault, through which the foaming waves
poured with intense fury. The islets of Westman appeared
to leap from the ocean, being so low in the water as scarcely
to be seen, until you were right upon them. From that
moment the schooner was steered to the westward in
order to round Cape Reykjaness, the western point of Ice-
land.
My uncle, to his great disgust, was unable even to crawl
on deck, so heavy a sea was on, and thus lost the first
view of the Land of Promise. Forty-eight hours later,
after a storm which drove us far to sea under bare poles,
we came once more in sight of land, and were boarded by
a pilot, who, after three hours of dangerous navigation,
brought the schooner safely to an anchor in the bay of Faxa
before Reykjawik.
My uncle came out of his cabin pale, haggard, thin, but
full of enthusiasm, his eyes dilated with pleasure and sat-^
isfaction. Nearly the whole population of the town was
on foot to see us land. The fact was, that scarcely any
one of them but expected some goods by the periodical
vessel.
Professor Hardwigg was in haste to leave his prison, or
rather as he called it, his hospital ; but before he attempted
to do so, he caught hold of my hand, led me to the quarter-
deck of the schooner, took my arm with his left hand, and
pointed inland with his right, over the northern part of the
bay, to where rose a high two-peaked mountain — a double
cone covered with eternal snow. " Behold," he whispered
in an awe-stricken voice, " behold — Mount Sneffels ! "
Without further remark, he put his finger to his lips,
frowned darkly, and descended into the small boat which
awaited us. I followed, and in a few minutes we stood
upon the soil of mysterious Iceland!
Scarcely were we fairly on shore when there appeared
before us a man of excellent appearance, wearing the cos-
tume of a military officer. He was, however, but a civil
OUR VOYAGE TO ICELAND 27
servant, a magistrate, the governor of the island — ^Baron
Trampe. The Professor knew whom he had to deal with.
He therefore handed him the letters from Copenhagen, and
a brief conversation in Danish followed, to which I of
course was a stranger, and for a very good reason, for I
did not know the language in which they conversed. I af-
terwards heard, however, that Baron Trampe placed him-
self entirely at the beck and call of Professor Hardwigg.
My uncle was also most graciously received by M. Fin-
sen, the mayor, who as far as costume went, was quite as
military as the governor, but also from character and occu-
pation quite as pacific. As for his coadjutor, M. Picturs-
son, he was absent on an episcopal visit to the northern por-
tion of the diocese. We were therefore compelled to defer
the pleasure of being presented to him. His absence was,
however, compensated by the presence of M. Fridriksson,
Professor of natural science in the college of Reykjawik,
a man of invaluable ability. This modest scholar spoke
no languages save Icelandic and Latin. When, therefore,
he addressed himself to me in the language of Horace, we
at once came to undertsand one another. He was, in fact,
the only person that I did thoroughly understand during
the whole period of my residence in this benighted island.
Out of three rooms of which his house was composed,
two were placed at our service, and in a few hours we were
installed with all our baggage, the amount of which rather
astonished the simple inhabitants of Reykjawik.
" Now, Harry," said my uncle, rubbing his hands, " all
goes well, the worst difficulty is now over."
" How the worst difficulty over ? " I cried in fresh amaze-
ment
" Doubtless. Here we are in Iceland. Nothing more
remains but to descend into the bowels of the earth."
" Well, sir, to a certain extent you are right We have
only to go down — ^but, as far as am concerned, that is
not the question. I want to know how we are to get up
again."
" That is the least part of the business, and does not in
any way trouble me. In the meantime, there is not an
hour to lose. I am about to visit the public library. Very
likely I may find there some manuscripts from the hand
of Saknussemm. I shall be glad to consult them."
28 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
"In the meanwhile," I replied, "I will take a walk
through the town. Will you not likewise do so ? "
" I feel no interest in the subject/' said my uncle. " What
for me is curious in this island, is not what is above the
surface, but what is below."
I bowed by way of reply, put on my hat and furred cloak^
and went out.
It was not an easy matter to lose oneself in the two streets
of Reykjawik; I had therefore no need to ask my way.
The town lies on a flat and marshy plain, between two
hills. A vast field of lava skirts it on one side, falling away
in terraces towards the sea. On the other hand is the large
bay of Faxa, bordered on the north by the enormous glacier
of Sneffels. In the bay the Valkyrie was then the only
vessel at anchor. Generally there were one or two English
or French gunboats, to watch and protect the fisheries in
the offing. They were now, however, absent on duty.
In three hours my tour was complete. The general im-
pression upon my mind was sadness. No trees, no vegeta-
tion, so to speak— on all sides volcanic peaks— -the huts of
turf and earth — more like roofs than houses. Thanks to
the heat of these residences, grass grows on the roof, which
grass is carefully cut for hay. I saw but few inhabitants
during my excursion, but I met a crowd on ti\t beach, dry-
ing, salting and loading cod-fish, the principal article of
exportation. The men appeared robust but heavy; fair-
haired like Germans, but of pensive mien — exiles of a higher
scale in the ladder of humanity than the Esquimaux, but,
I thought, much more unhappy, since with superior percep-
tions they are compelled to live within the limits of the
Polar Circle.
CHAPTER VII
CONVERSATION AND DISCOVERY
When I returned, dinner was ready. This meal was
devoured by my worthy relative with avidity and voracity.
His shipboard diet had turned his interior into a perfect
gulf. The repast, which was more Danish than Icelandic,
was in Itself nothing, but the excessive hospitality of our
host made us enjoy it doubly. The conversation turned
CONVERSATION AND DISCOVERY 29
tipon scientific matters, and M. Fridriksson asked my imcle
what he thought of the public library.
" Library, sir? " cried my uncle; " it appears to me a col-
lection of useless odd volumes, and a beggarly amotmt of
empty shelves/'
" What ! '* cried M. Fridriksson ; " why, we have eight
thousand volumes of most rare and valuable works — some
in the Scandinavian language, besides all the new publica-
tions from Copenhagen."
" Eight thousand volumes, my dear sir — why, where are
they ? " cried my uncle.
" Scattered over the country. Professor Hardwigg. We
are very studious, my dear sir, though we do live in Iceland.
Every farmer, every laborer, every fisherman can both read
and write — ^and we think that books instead of being locked
up in cupboards, far from the sight of students, should be
distributed as widely as possible. The books of our library
are, therefore, passed from hand to hand without returning
to the library shelves perhaps for years."
"Then when foreigners visit you, there is nothing for
them to see ? "
" Well, sir, foreigners have tlieir own libraries, and our
first consideration is, that our humbler classes ' should be
highly educated. Fortunately, the love of study is innate
in the Icelandic people. In 181 6 we founded a Literary So-
ciety and Mechanics' Institute; many foreign scholars of
eminence are honorary members ; we publish books destined
to educate our people, and these books have rendered valu-
able services to our country. Allow me to have the honor.
Professor Hardwigg, to enrol you as an honorary
member?"
My uncle, who already belonged to nearly every literary
and scientific institution in Europe, immediately yielded to
the amiable wishes of good M. Fridriksson. " And now,"
said the latter after many expressions of gratitude and good-
will, " if you will tell me what books you expected to find,
perhaps I may be of some assistance to you."
I watched my uncle keenly. For a minute or two he
hesitated, as if unwilling to speak; to speak openly was,
perhaps, to unveil his projects. Nevertheless, after some
reflectfon, he made up his mind. " Well, M. Fridriksson,*'
he said in any easy, unconcerned kind of way, ^ I was desir-
30 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
ous of ascertaining, if among otiier valuable works, you
had any by the learned Arne Saknussemm."
"Arne Saknussemm!" cried the Professor of Reykja-
wik; " you speak of one of the most distinguished scholars
of tiie sixteenth century, of the great naturalist, the great
alchemist, the great traveler."
" Exactly so."
" One of the most distinguished men connected with Ice-
landic science and literature."
" As you say, sir "
" A man illustrious above all."
** Yes, sir, all this is true, but his works? "
" We have none of them."
- "Not in Iceland?"
" There are none in Iceland or elsewhere," answered the
other, sadly.
"Why so?"
" Because Arne Saknussemm was persecuted for heresy,
and in 1573 his works were publicly burnt at Copenhagen
by the hands of tlie common hangman."
" Very good ! capital ! " murmured my imcle, to the great
astonishment of the worthy Icelander.
" You said, sir- "
" Yes, yes, all is clear, I see the link in the chain ; every-
thing is explained, and I now understand why Arne Sak-
nussemm, put out of court, forced to hide his magnificent
discoveries, was compelled to conceal beneath the veil of an
incomprehensible cryptograph, tlie secret **
"What secret?"
" A secret — which," stammered my uncle.
**Have you discovered some wonderful manuscript?*'
" No, no, I was carried away by my enthusiasm. A mere
supposition."
"Very good, sir. But, really, to turn to another sub-
ject, I hope you will not leave our island without examin-
ing into its mineralogical riches."
" Well, the fact is, I am rather late. So many learned
men have been here before me."
" Yes, yes, but there is still much to be done," cried M.
Fridriksson.
" You think so," said my uncle, his eyes twinkling with
hidden satisfaction.
CONVERSATION AND DISCOVERY 31
" Yes, you have no idea how many unknown mountains,
glaciers, volcanoes there are which remain to be studied.
Without moving from where we sit, I can show you one.
Yonder on the edge of the horizon, you see Sneffels/'
** Oh yes, Sneffels," said my tmcle.
"One of tlie most curious volcanoes in existence, the
crater of which has been rarely visited."
"Extinct?"
"Extinct, any time these five himdred years/' was the
ready reply.
" Well," said my imcle, who dug his nails into his flesh,
and pressed his knees tightly together to prevent himself
leaping up with joy. "I have a great mind to begin my
studies with an examination of the geological mysteries of
tliis Mount Seffel — Feisel — what do you call it? "
" Sneffels, my dear sir."
This portion of the conversation took place in Latin, and
I therefore understood all that had been said. I could
scarcely keep my countenance when I found my uncle so
cunningly concealing his delight and satisfaction. I must
confess tiiat his artful grimaces, put on to conceal his happi-
ness, made him look like a new Mephistopheles. "Yes,
yes," he continued, " your proposition delights me. I will
endeavor to climb to the summit of Sneffels, and, if pos-
sible, will descend into its crater."
" I very much regret," continued M. Fridriksson " that
my occupation will entirely preclude the possibility of my
accompanying you. It would have been both pleasurable
and profitable if I could have spared the time."
" No, no, a thousand times no," cried my uncle. " I do
not wish to disturb the serenity of any man. I thank you,
however, with all my heart. The presence of one so learned
as yourself, would no doubt have been most useful, but the
duties of your office and profession before ever3rthing."
In the innocence of his simple heart, our host did not
perceive the irony of these remarks. " I entirely approve
your project," he continued after some further remarks.
" It is a good idea to begin by examining this volcano. You
will make a harvest of curious observations. In the first
place, how do you propose to get to Sneffels ? "
" By sea. I shall cross the bay. Of course that is the
most rapid route."
32 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
" Of course. But still it cannot be done."
"Why?"
** We have not an available boat in all Rcykjawik/' re-
plied the other.
** What is to be done?"
" You must go by land along the coast It is longer, but
much more interesting."
** Then I must have a guide."
" Of course ; and I have your very man.'*
" Somebody on whom I can depend ? "
'* Yes, an inhabitant of the peninsula on which Snef-
fels is situated. He is a very shrewd and worthy man,
with whom you will be pleased. He speaks Danish like a
Dane."
" When can I see him — ^to-day ? **
'* No, to-morrow ; he will not be here before."
" To-morrow be it," replied my uncle, with a deep sigh.
The conversation ended by compliments on both sides.
During the dinner my uncle had learned much as to the
history of Ame Saknussemm, the reasons for his mysterious
and hieroglyphical document He also became aware that
his host would not accompany him on his adventurous ex-
pedition, and that next day we should have a guide.
CHAPTER Vni
THE EIDER-DOWN HUNTER— OFF AT LAST
That evening I took a brief walk on tlie shore near
Reykjawik, after which I returned to an early sleep on my
bed of coarse planks, where I slept the sleep of the just.
When I awoke I heard my uncle speaking loudly in the
next room. I rose hastily and joined him. He was talk-
ing in Danish with a man of tall stature, and of perfectly
Herculean^ build. This man appeared to be possessed of
very great strength. His eyes, which started rather prom-
inently from a very large head, tlie face belonging to which
was simple and naive, appeared very quick and intelligent.
Very long hair, which even in England would have been ac-
counted exceedingly red, fell over his athletic shoulders.
This native of Iceland was active and supple in appearance,
though he scarcely moved his arms, being in fact one of
THE EIDER-DOWN HUNTER 33
those men who despise the habit of gesticulation common
to southern people.
Everything in this man's manner revealed a calm and
phlegmatic temperament. There was nothing indolent
about him, but his appearance spoke of tranquility. He
was one of those who never seemed to expect anything
from anybody, who liked to work when he thought proper,
and whose philosophy nothing could astonish or trouble.
I began to comprehend his character, simply from the
way in which he listened to the wild and impassioned verbi-
age of my worthy uncle. While the excellent Professor
spoke sentence after sentence, he stood with folded arms,
utterly still, motionless to all my uncle's gesticulations.
When he wanted to say No he moved his head from left to
right; when he acquiesced he nodded, so slightly that you
could scarcely see the undulation of his head. This econ-
omy of motion was carried to the length of avarice.
Judging from his appearance I should have been a long
time before I had suspected him to be what he was, a mighty
hunter. Certainly his manner was not likely to frighten the
game. How, then, did he contrive to get at his prey ? My
surprise was slightly modified when I knew that this tran-
quil and solemn personage, was only a hunter of the eider-
duck, the down of which is, after all, the greatest source of
the Icelanders' wealth.
This grave, sententious, silent person, as phlegmatic as an
Englishman on the French stage, was named Hans Bjelke.
He had called upon us in consequence of the recommenda-
tion of M. Fridriksson. He was, in fact, our future guide.
It struck me that had I sought the world over, I could not
have fotmd a greater contradiction to my impulsive uncle.
They, however, readily understood onQ another. Neither
of tliem had any thought about money; one was ready to
take all tliat was offered him, the other ready to offer any-
thing that was asked. It may readily be conceived, then,
that an understanding was soon come to between them.
The understanding was, that he was to take us to the
village of Stapi, situated on the southern slope of the pe-
ninsula, of Sneffels, at the very foot of tlie volcano. Hans,
the guide, told us the distance was about twenty-two miles,
a journey which my uncle supposed would take about two
days. But when my uncle came to understand that they
34 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
were Danish miles, of eight thousand yards each, he was
obliged to be more moderate in his ideas, and, considering
the horrible roads we had to follow, to allow eight or ten
days for the journey. Four horses were prepared for us,
two to carry the baggage, and two to bear the inq)ortant
weight of myself and uncle. Hans declared that nothing
ever would make him climb on the back of any animal He
knew every inch of that part of the coast, and promised to
take us the very shortest way.
His engagement with my uncle was by no means to cease
with our arrival at Stapi ; he was further to remain in his
service during the whole time required for the completion
of his scientific investigations, at the fixed salary of three
rix*dollars a week, being exactly fourteen shillings and two-
pence, minus one farthing, English currency. One stipula-
tion, however, was made by tilie guide — the money was to
be paid to him every Sattu-day night, failing which, his en-
gagement was at an end
The day of our departure was fixed- My uncle wished
to hand the eider*down hunter an advance, but he refused
in one emphatic word — " Efter.'^
Which being translated from Icelandic into plain English
means — ^After.
The treaty concluded, our worthy guide retired without
another word. " A splendid fellow/' said my tmcle ; " only
he little suspects the marvelous part he is about to play in
the history of the world."
** You mean, then," I cried in amazement, ** that he should
accompany us ? "
"To the Interior of the Earth, yes;" replied my uncle.
'* Why not?"
There were yet forty-eight hours to elapse before we
made our final start. Our whole time was taken up in
making preparations for our journey. All our industry and
ability were devoted to packing every object in the most ad-
vantageous manner — ^the instruments on one side, the arms
on the other, the tools here and the provisions there. There
were, in fact, four distinct groups.
The instruments were of course of the best manufac-
ture : — '
I. A centigrade thermometer of Eizel, counting up to
150 degrees, which to me did not appear half enough*
THE EIDER-DOWN HUNTER 35
too much. Too hot by half, if the degree of heat was to
ascend so high — in which case we should certainly be cooked
— not enough, if we wanted to ascertain the exact tempera-
ture of springs or metal in a state of fusion.
2. A manometer worked by compressed air, an instru-
ment used to ascertain the upper atmospheric pressure on
the level of the ocean. Perhaps a common barometer would
not have done as well, the atmospheric pressure being likely
to increase in proportion as we descended below the surface
of the earth.
3. A first-class chronometer made by Boissonnas, of
Geneva, set at the meridian of Hamburg, from which Ger-
mans calculated as the English do from Greenwich.
4. Two compasses, one for horizontal guidance, the other
to ascertain the dip.
5. A night glass.
6. Two Ruhmkorff's coils, which, by means of a current
of electricity, would ensure us a very excellent, easily car-
ried, and certain means of obtaining light.
7. A voltaic battery on the newest principle.
Oxxc arms consisted of two rifles, with two revolving six-
shooters. Why these arms were provided it was impossi-
ble for me to say. I had every reason to believe that we had
neither wild beasts nor savage natives to fear. My uncle,
on the other hand, was quite as devoted to his arsenal as to
his collection of instruments, and above all was very careful
with his provision of fulminating or gun cotton, warranted
to keep in any climate, and of which the expansive force
was known to be greater than that of ordinary gun-
powder.
Our tools consisted of two pickaxes, two crowbars, a
silken ladder, .three iron-shod Alpine poles, a hatchet a
hammer, a dozen wedges, some pointed pieces of iron, and
a quantity of strong rope. You may conceive that the
whole made a tolerable parcel, especially when I mention
that the ladder itself was three hundred feet long!
Then there came the important question of provisions.
The hanlper was not very large but tolerably satisfactory,
for I knew that in concentrated essence of meat and biscuit
there was enough to last six months. The only liquid
provided by my uncle was scheidam. Of water, not a
drop. We had, however, an ample supply of gourds, and
36 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
my uncle counted on finding water, and enough to fill
them, as soon as we commenced our downward journey.
My remarks as to the temperature and quality of such
water, and even as to the possibility of none being found,
remained wholly without effect.
To make up tiie exact list of our traveling gear — for the
guidance of future travelers — I will add, that we carried a
medicine and surgical chest with all apparatus necessary
for wounds, fractures and blows ; lint, scissors, lancets — in
fact, a perfect collection of horrible-looking instruments;
a number of phials containing ammonia, alcohol, ether,
goulard water, aromatic vinegar, in fact, every possible
and impossible drug — finally, all the materials for working
the Ruhmkorff coil !
My uncle had also been careful to lay in a goodly sup-
ply of tobacco, several flasks of very fine gunpowder, boxes
of tinder, besides a large belt crammed full of notes and
gold. Good boots tendered water-tight were to be found
to the number of six in the tool-box. " My boy, with such
clothing, with such boots, and such general equipments,"
said my uncle, in a state of rapturous delight; "we may
hope to travel far."
It took a whole day to put all these matters in order.
In the evening we dined with Baron Trampe, in company
with the Mayor of Reykjawik, and Doctor Hyaltalin, the
great medical man of Iceland. M. Fridriksson was not
present. Unfortunately, the consequence was, that I did
not understand a word that was said at dinner — ^a kind ol
semi-official reception. One thing I can say, my uncl^
never left off speaking.
The next day our labor came to an end. Our worths
host delighted my uncle. Professor Hardwigg, by giving
him a good map of Iceland, a most important and precious
document for a mineralogist. Our last evening was spent
in a long conversation with M. Fridriksson, whom I likec^
very much — the more that I never expected to see him or
any one else again. After this agreeable way of spending
an hour or so, I tried to sleep. In vain ; with the exception
of a few dozes, my night was miserable.
At five o'clock in the morning I was "awakened from the
only real half hour's sleep of the night, by the loud neigh-
ing of horses under my window. I hastily dressed myself
THE EIDER-DOWN HUNTER 37
and went down into the street. Hans was engaged in
putting the finishing stroke to our baggage, which he did
in a silent, quiet way that won my admiration, and yet he
did it admirably well. My uncle wasted a great deal of
breath in giving him directions, but worthy Hans took not
the slightest notice of his words.
'At six o'clock all our preparations were completed, and
M. Fridriksson shook hands heartily with us. My uncle
thanked him warmly, in the Icelandic language, for his
kind hospitality, speaking truly from the heart. As for
myself I put together a few of my best Latin phrases and
paid him the highest compliments I could. This fraternal
and friendly duty performed, we sallied forth and mounted
our horses.
As soon as we were quite ready, M. Fridriksson ad-
vanced, and by way of farewell, called after me in the words
of Virgil — words which appeared to have been made for us,
travelers starting for an uncertain destination.
" Et quacunque viam dederit fortuna sequatnur/*
("And whichsoever way thou goest, may fortune fol-
bwl")
CHAPTER IX
OUR START — WE MEET WITH ADVENTURES BY THE WAY
* The weather was overcast but settled, when we com-
menced our adventurous and perilous journey. We had
neither to fear fatiguing heat nor drenching rain. It was,
in fact, real tourist weather. As there is nothing I like
better than horse exercise, the pleasure of riding through
an unknown country, caused the early part of our enterprise
to be particularly agreeable to me. I began to enjoy the
exhilarating delight of traveling, a life of desire, gratifica-
tion and liberty. The truth is, that my spirits rose so
rapidly that I began to be indifferent to what had once ap-
peared to be a terrible journey.
" After all," I said to myself, " what do I risk? Simply
to take a journey through a curious country, to climb a
remarkable mountain, and if the worst comes to the worst,
to descend into the crater of an extinct volcano/* There
could be no doubt that this was all this terrible Saknussemm
had done. As to the existence of a gallery or of subterra-
38 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
neous passages leading into the interior of the earth, the
idea was simply absurd, the hallucination of a distempered
imagination. AH, then, that may be required of me I will
do cheerfully, and will create no difficulty.
It was just before we left Reykjawik that I came to this
decision. Hans, our extraordinary guide, went first, walk-
ing with a steady, rapid, and unvarying step. Our two
horses with the luggage followed of their own accord, with-
out requiring whip or spur. My uncle and I came behind,
cutting a very tolerable figure upon our small but vigorous
animals. Hans, on taking his departure from Reykjawik,
had followed the line of the sea. We took our way through
poor and sparse meadows, which made a desperate effort
every year to show a little green. They very rarely suc-
ceed in a good show of yellow. Every now and then a spur
of rock came down through the arid ground, leaving us
scarcely room to pass. Our horses, however, appeared not
only well acquainted with the country, but by a kind of in-
stinct, knew which was the best road. My uncle had not
even the satisfaction of urging forward his steed by whip,
spur, or voice. It was utterly useless to show any signs of
impatience. I could not help smiling to see him look so big
on his little horse ; his long legs now and then touching the
ground made him look like a six-footed centaur.
" Good beast, good beast," he would cry. " I assure
you, Henry, that I begin to think no animal is more intel-
ligent than an Icelandic horse. Snow, tempest, impracti-
cable roads, rocks, icebergs — nothing stops him. He is
brave; he is sober; he is safe; he never makes a false step;
never glides or slips from his path. I dare to say that if any
river, any ford has to be crossed — and I have no doubt there
will be many — ^you will see him enter the water without
hesitation like an amphibious animal, and reach the op-
posite side in safety. We must not, however, attempt 1©
hurry him ; we must allow him to have his own way, and
I will undertake to say that between us we shall do our
ten leagues a day."
" We may do so," was my reply, *' but what about our
worthy guide ? "
" I have not the slightest anxiety about him ; that sort
of people go ahead without knowing even what they are
about Look at Hans. He moves so little that it is im-
OUR START 39
possible for him to become fatigued. Besides, if he were
to complain of weariness, he could have the loan of my
horse. I should have a violent attack of the cramp if I
were not to have some sort of exercise. My arms are
right — but my legs are getting a little stiff."
All this while we were advancing at a rapid pace. The
country we had reached was already nearly a desert. Here
and there could be seen an isolated farm, some solitary boer,
or Icelandic house, built of wood, earth, fragments of lava
— looking like beggars on the highway of life. These
vrretched and miserable huts excited in us such pity that
we felt half disposed to leave alms at every door. In this
country there are no roads, paths are nearly unknown, and
vegetation, poor as it was, slowly as it reached perfection,
soon obliterated all traces of the few travelers who passed
from place to place.
A few stray cows and sheep were only seen occasionally.
What, then, must we expect when we come to the up-
heaved regions — to the districts broken and roughened from
volcanic eruptions and subterraneous commotions?
We were to learn this all in good time. I saw, however,
on consulting the map, that we avoided a good deal of this
rough country, by following the winding and desolate
shores of the sea. In reality, the great volcanic movement
of the island, and all its attendant phenomena, is concen-
trated in the interior of the island; there, horizontal layers
or strata of rocks, piled one upon the other, eruptions of
basaltic origin, and streams of lava, have given this country
a kind of supernatural reputation.
Little did I expect, however, the spectacle which awaited
us when we reached the peninsula of Sneffels, where
agglomerations of nature's ruins form a kind of terrible
chaos.
Some two hours or more after we had left the city of
Reykjawik, we reached the little town called Aoalkirkja,
or the principal church. It consists simply of a few houses
— not what in England or Germany we should call a hamlet.
Hans stopped here one-half hour. He shared our frugal
breakfast, answered yes and no to my uncle's questions as
to the nature of the road, and at last when asked where we
were to pass the night was as laconic as usual. " Gardar ! "
was his one-worded reply.
40 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
I took occasion to consult the map, to see where Gardar
was to be found. After looking keenly I found a small
town of that name on the borders of the Hvalfjord, about
four miles from Reykjawik. I pointed this out to my
uncle, who made a very energetic grimace.
" Only four miles out of twenty-two? Why it is only a
little walk."
He was about to make some energetic observation to
the guide, but Hans, without taking the slightest notice
of him, went in front of the horses, and walked ahead
with the same imperturbable phlegm he had always ex-
hibited.
Still traveling over those apparently interminable and
sandy prairies, we were compelled to go round the Kolla-
f jord, then following a narrow strip of shore between high
rocks and the sea, we came to the " aoalkirkja " of Brantar,
and after another mile to " Saurboer Annexia," a chapel of
ease, situated on the southern bank of the Hvalfjord. It
was four o'clock in the evening and we had traveled four
Danish miles, about equal to twenty English.
The fjord was in this place about half-a-mile in width.
The sweeping and broken waves came rolling in upon the
pointed rocks; the gulf was surrounded by rocky walls — ^a
mighty cliff, three thousand feet in height, remarkable for
its brown strata, separated here and there by beds of tufa
of a reddish hue. Now, whatever may have been the intel-
ligence of our horses, I had not the slightest reliance upon
them, as a means of crossing a stormy arm of the sea. To
ride over salt water upon the back of a little horse seemed
to me absurd.
" If they are really intelligent," I said to myself, " they
will certainly not make the attempt. In any case, I shall
trust rather to my own intelligence than theirs."
But my uncle was in no humor to wait. He dug his
heels into the sides of his steed, and made for the shore.
His horse went to the very edge of the water, sniffed at
the approaching wave and retreated.
My uncle, who was, sooth to say, quite as obstinate as the
beast he bestrode, insisted on his making the desired ad-
vance. This attempt was followed by a new refusal on the
part of the horse which quietly shook his head. This
demonstration of rebellion was followed by a volley of
OUR START 4t
words and a stout application of whipcord; also followed
by kicks on the part of the horse, which threw its head and
heels upwards and tried to throw his rider. At length the
sturdy little pony, spreading out his legs, in a stiff and
ludicrous attitude, got from under the professor's legs, and
left him standing, with both feet on a separate stone, like
the Colossus of Rhodes.
"Wretched animal!" cried my uncle, suddenly trans-
formed into a foot passenger — and as angry and ashamed
as a dismounted cavalry officer on the field of battle.
" Farja" said the guide, tapping him familiarly on the
shoulder,
" What, a ferry boat ! "
" Der," answered Hans, pointing to where lay the boat
in question — " there."
" Well/' I cried, much relieved by the information; " so
It IS.
** Why did you not say so before," cried my uncle ; " why
not start at once ? "
" Tidvatten," said the guide.
" What does he say ? " I asked, considerably puzzled by
the delay and the dialogue.
" He says tide," replied my uncle, translating the Danish
word for my information.
"Of course, I understand — we must wait till the tide
serves."
" For bidaf '* asked my tmcle.
" /a/' replied Hans.
My uncle frowned, stamped his feet and then followed
the horses to where the boat lay. I thoroughly understood
and appreciated the necessity for waiting, before crossing
the fjord, for that moment when the sea at its highest point
is in a state of slack water. As neither the ebb nor flow can
then be felt, the ferry boat was in no danger of being carried
out to sea, or dashed upon the rocky coast.
The favorable moment did not come until six o'clock in
the evening. Then my uncle, myself, and guide, two boat-
men and the four horses got into a very awkward flat-bot-
tom boat. Accustomed as I had been to the steam ferry-
boats of the Elbe, I found the long oars of the boatmen but
sorry means of locomotion. We were more than an hour
in crossing the fjord; but at length the passage was con-
4a TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
eluded without accident. Half-an-hour later we reached
Gardar.
CHAPTER X
TRAVEUNG IN ICELAND
It ought, one would have thought, to have been night,
even in tiie sixty-fifth parallel of latitude; but still the noc-
turnal illumination did not surprise me. For in Iceland,
during the months of June and July, the sun never sets.
The temperature, however, was very much lower than I
expected. I was cold, but even that did not affect me so
much as ravenous hunger. Welcome indeed, therefore,
was the hut which hospitably opened its doors to us.
It was merely the house of a peasant, but in the matter
of hospitality, it was worthy of being the palace of a king.
As we alighted at the door the master of the house came
forward, held out his hand, and without any further cere-
mony, signaled to us to follow him. We followed him, for
to accompany him was impossible. A long, narrow, gloomy
passage led into the interior of this habitation, made from
beams roughly squared by the ax. This passage gave in-
gress to every room. The chambers were four in numt)er —
the kitchen, the work-shop, where tlic weaving was carried
on, the general sleeping-chamber of the family, and the
best room, to which strangers were especially invited. My
uncle, whose lofty stature had not been taken into considera-
tion when the house was built, contrived to knock his head
against the beams of the roof.
As soon as we had freed ourselves from our heavy trav-
eling costume, the voice of our host was heard calling to
us to come into the kitchen, the only room in which the Ice-
landers ever make any fire, no matter how cold it may be.
My uncle, nothing loth, hastened to obey this hospitable
and friendly invitation. I followed.
On our entrance, our worthy host, as if he had not seen
us before, advanced ceremoniously; uttered a word which
means " be happy," and then kissed both of us on the cheek.
His wife followed, pronounced the same word, with the
same ceremonial, then the husband and wife, placing their
right hands upon their hearts, bowed profoundly.
This excellent Icelandic woman was the motfier of nine-
TRAVELING IN ICELAND 43
teen children, who, little and big, rolled, crawled, and
walked about in the midst of volumes of smoke arising
from the angular fire-place in the middle of the room-
Every now and then I could see a fresh white head, and a
slightly melancholy expression of countenance, peering at
me through the vapor. Both my uncle and myself, how-
ever, were very friendly with the whole party, and before
we were aware of it, there were three or four of these little
ones on our shoulders, as many on our boxes, and the rest
hanging about our legs. Those who could speak kept cry-
ing out saellvertu in every possible and impossible key.
Those who did not speak only made all the more noise.
This concert was interrupted by the announcement of
supper. At this moment our worthy guide, the eider-duck
hunter, came in after seeing to the feeding and stabling of
the horses — which consisted in letting them loose to browse
on the stunted green of the Icelandic prairies. There was
little for them to eat, but moss and some very dry and in-
HUtritious grass; next day they were ready before the door,
some time before we were,
" Welcome," said Hans. Then tranquilly, with the air
of an automaton, without any more expression in one kiss
than another, he embraced the host and hostess and their
nineteen children.
This ceremony concluded to tlie satisfaction of all parties,
we all sat down to table, that is twenty- four of us, some-
what crowded. Those who were best off had only two ju-
veniles on their knees. As soon, however, as the inevitable
soup was placed on the table, natural taciturnity common
even to Icelandic babies, prevailed over all else. Our host
filled oiu" plates with a portion of Lichen soup of Iceland
moss, of by no means disagreeable flavor, an enormous lump
of fish floating in sour butter. After that there came some
" skyr," a kind of curds and whey, served with biscuits and
juniper-berry juice. To drink, we had blanda, skimmed
milk with water. I was' hungry, so hungry, that by way.
of dessert I finished up with a basin of thick oaten porridge.
As soon as the meal was over, the children disappeared,
whilst the grown people sat around the fire-place, on which
was placed turf, heather, cow dung and dried fish-bones.
As soon as everybody was sufficiently warm, a general dis-
persion took place, all retiring to their respective couches.
44 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
Our hostess offered to pull off our stockings and trousers,
according to the custom of the country, but as we graciously
declined to be so honored, she left us to our bed of dry
fodder.
Next day, at five in the morning, we took our leave of
these hospitable peasants. My uncle had great difficulty in
making them accept a sufficient and proper remuneration.
That evening, after fording the Alfa and the Heta, two
rivers rich in trout and pike, we were compelled to pass
the night in a deserted house, worthy of being haunted by
all the fays of Scandinavian mythology. The King of
Cold had taken up his residence there, and made us feel
his presence all night
The two- following days were remarkable by 'their lack of
any particular incidents. Always the same damp and swampy
soil; the same dreary uniformity; the same sad and monot-
onous aspect of scenery. I confess that fatigue began to
tell severely upon me ; but my uncle was as firm and as hard
as he had been on the first day. I could not help admir-
ing both the excellent Professor and the worthy guide; for
they appeared to regard this rugged expedition as a mere
:walkl
On Saturday, the 20th of June, at six o'clock in the even-
ing, we reached Budir, a small town picturesquely situated
on the shore of the ocean; and here the guide asked for
his money. My uncle settled with him immediately. It
was now the family of Hans himself, that is to say, his
uncles, his cousins-german, who offered us hospitality. We
iwere exceedingly well received, and without taking too
much advantage of the goodness of these worthy people,
I should have liked very much to have rested with them
after the fatigues of the journey. But my uncle, who did
not require rest, had no idea of anything of the kind; and
despite the fact that next day was Sunday, I was com-
pelled once more to mount my steed.
The soil was again affected by the neighborhood of the
motmtains, whose granite peered out of the ground like
tops of an old oak. We were skirting the enormous base
of the mighty volcano. My uncle never took his eyes from
off it; he could not keep from gesticulating, and looking
at it with a kind of sullen defiance as much as to say ** That
is the giant I have made up my mind to conquer."
WE REACH MOUNT SNEFFELS 45
[After four hours of steady traveling, the horses stopped
of themselves before the door of the presbytery of Stapi.
We had reached the foot of the volcano.
CHAPTER XI
WE REACH MOUNT SNEFFELS — ^THE " REYKIR *'
Stapi is a town consisting of thirty huts, built on a large
plain of lava, exposed to the rays of the sun, reflected from
the volcano. It stretches its humble tenements along the
end of a little fjord, surrounded by a basaltic .wall of the
most singular character. Here we found Nature proceed-
ing geometrically, and working quite after a human fashion,
as if she had employed the plummet line, the compass and
the rule. If elsewhere she produces grand artistic effects
by piling up huge masses without order or connection — ^if
elsewhere we see truncated cones, imperfect pyramids, with
an odd succession of lines; here, as if wishing to g^ve a les-
son in regularity, and preceding the architects of the early
ages, she has erected a severe order of architecture, which
neitlier the splendors of Babylon nor the marvels of Greece
ever surpassed. The walls of the fjord, like nearly the
whole of the peninsula, consisted of a series of vertical
columns, in height about thirty feet. These upright pillars
of stone, of the finest proportions, supported an archivault
of horizontal colimms which formed a kind of half-vaulted
roof above the sea. At certain intervals, and below this
natural basin, the eye was pleased and surprised by the sight
of oval openings through which the outward waves came
thundering in volleys of foam. Some banks of basalt, torn
from their fastenings by the fury of the waves, lay scattered
on the ground like the ruins of an ancient temple — ruins
eternally young, over which the storms of ages swept with-
put producing any perceptible effect !
This was the last stage of our journey. Hans had
brought us along with fidelity and intelligence, and I be-
gan to feel somewhat more comfortable when I reflected
tiiat he was to accompany us still farther on our way.
When we halted before the house of the Rector, a small
and incommodious cabin, neither handsome nor more com-
fortable than tliose of his neighbors, I saw a man in the
\
46 TO. THE CENTER OE THE EARTH
act of shoeing a horse, a hammer in his hand, and a leathern
apron tied around his waist.
" Be happy," said the eider-down hunter, using his na-
tional salutation in his own language.
" Good'dag — good-day 1 " replied the former, in excel-
lent Danish.
" Kyrkoherde," cried Hans, turning round and introduc-
ing him to my uncle.
"The Rector," repeated the worthy Professor; "it ap-
pears, my dear Harry, that this worthy man is the Rector,
and is not above doing his own work."
During the speaking of these few words the guide in-
timated to the Kyrkoherde what was the true state of the
case. The good man, ceasing from his occupation, gave a
kind of halloo, upon which a tall woman, almost a giantess,
came out of the hut. She was at least six feet high, which
in that region is something considerable. My first impres-
sion was one of horror. I thought she had come to give
us the Icelandic kiss. I had, however, nothing to fear, for
she did not even show much inclination to receive us into
her house.
The room devoted to strangers appeared to me to be by
far the worst in the presbytery; it was narrow, dirty and
offensive. There was, however, no choice about the mat-
ter. The Rector had no notion of practicing the usual cor-
dial and antique hospitality. My uncle soon became aware
of the kind of man he had to deal with. Instead of a
worthy and learned scholar, he found a dull, ill-mannered
peasant. He therefore resolved to start on his great expe-
dition as soon as possible. He did not care about fatigue,
and resolved to spend a few days in the mountains.
The preparations for our departure were made the very
next day after our arrival at Stapi ; Hans now hired three
Icelanders to take the place of the horses — ^which could
no longer carry our luggage. When, however, these
worthy islanders had reached the bottom of the crater,
they were to go back and leave us to ourselves. This
point was settled before they would agree to start. On
this occasion, my uncle partially confided in Hans, the eider-
duck hunter, and gave him to understand that it was his in-
tention to continue his exploration of the volcano to the
last possible limits.
WE REACH MOXJNT SNEFFELS 47
Hans listened calmly, and then nodded his head To go
there, or elsewhere, to bury himself in the bowels of the
earth, or to travel over its summit, was all the same to him I
lAs for me, amused and occupied by the incidents of travel,
I had begun to forget the inevitable future; but now I was
once more destined to realize the actual state of affairs.
What was to be done? Run away? But if I really had
intended to leave Professor Hardwigg to his fate, it should
have been at Hamburg and not at the foot of Sneffels.
One idea above all others, began to trouble me: a very
terrible idea, and one calculated to shake the nerves of a
man even less sensitive than myself. " Let us consider the
matter," I said to myself; "we are going to ascend the
Sneffels mountain. Well and good. We are about to pay
a visit to the very bottom of the crater. Good, still. Others
have done it and did not perish from that course.
"That, however, is not the whole matter to be consid-
ered. If a road does really present itself by which to
descend into the dark and subterraneous bowels of Mother
Earth, if this thrice unhappy Saknussemm has really told
the truth, we shall be most certainly lost in the midst of
the labyrinth of subterraneous galleries of the volcano.
Now, we have no evidence to prove that Sneffels is really
extinct. What proof have we that an eruption is not shortly
about to take place ? Because the monster has slept soundly
since 1229, does it follow that he is never to wake? If
he does wake what is to become of us? "
These were questions worth thinking about, and upon
them I reflected long and deeply. I could not lie down
in search of sleep without dreaming of eruptions. The more
I thought, the more I objected to be reduced to the state
of dross and ashes. I could stand it no longer ; so I deter-
mined at last to submit the whole case to my uncle, in the
most adroit manner possible, and under the form of some
totally irreconcilable hypothesis.
I sought him. I laid before him my fears, and then
drew back in order to let him get his passion over at his
ease.
" I have been thinking about the matter," he said, in the
quietest tone in the world.
What did he mean ? Was he at last about to listen to the
voice of reason? Did he think of suspending his projects?
48 TO THE CENTER OF. THE EARTH
It was almost too much happiness to be true. I however
made no remark. In fact, I was only too anxious not to
interrupt him, and allowed him to reflect at his leisure*
After some moments he spoke out
"I have been thinking about the matter," he resumed.
" Ever since we have been at Stapi, my mind has been al-
most solely occupied with the grave question which has
been submitted to me by yourself — for nothing would be
unwiser and more inconsistent than to act with impru-
dence."
"I heartily agree with you, my dear uncle," was my
somewhat hopeful rejoinder,
" It is now six hundred years since SnefFels has spoken,
but though now reduced to a state of utter silence, he may
speak again. New volcanic eruptions are always preceded
by perfectly well-known phenomena. I have closely ex-
amined the inhabitants of this region; I have carefully
studied the soil, and I beg to tell you emphatically, my
dear Harry, there will be no eruption at present."
As I Hstened to his positive affirmations, I was stupefied
and could say nothing.
" I see you doubt my word," said my uncle ; " follow me."
I obeyed mechanically. Leaving the presbytery, the Pro-
fessor took a road through an opening in the basaltic rock,
which led far away from the sea. We were soon in open
country, if we could give such a name to a place all covered
with volcanic deposits. The whole land seemed crushed
under the weight of enormous stones — of trap, of basalt,
of granite, of lava, and of all other volcanic substances.
I could see many spouts of steam rising in the air.
These white vapors, called in the Icelandic language " rey-
"kir," come from hot water fountains, and indicate by their
violence the volcanic activity of the soil. Now the sight
of these appeared to. justify my apprehension. I was,
therefore, all the more surprised and mortified when my
uncle thus addressed me. " You see all this smoke, Harry,
my boy?"
" Yes, sir."
" Well, as long as you see them thus, you have nothing
to fear from the volcano."
" How can that be ? "
*' Be careful to remember this," continued the Professor,
WE REACH MOUNT SNEFFELS 49
*'At the approach of an eruption these spouts of vapor
redouble their activity — ^to disappear altogether during the
period of volcanic eruption ; for the elastic fluids, no longer
having the necessary tension, seek refuge in the interior
of the crater, instead of escaping through the fissures of
the earth. If, then, the steam remains in its normal or
habitual state, if their energy does not increase, and if you
add to this, the remark, that the wind is not replaced by
heavy atmospheric pressure and dead calm, you may be
quite sure that there is no fear of any immediate eruption/'
« But ''
"Enough, my boy. When science has sent forth her
fiat — it is only to hear and obey."
I came back to the house quite downcast and disappointed.
My uncle had completely defeated me with his scientific
arguments. Nevertheless, I had still one hope, and that
was, when once we were at the bottom of the crater, that
it would be impossible in default of a gallery or tunnel, to
descend any deeper; and this, despite all the learned Sak-
nussemms in the world.
I passed the whole of the following night with a night-
mare on my chest ! and, after tmheard-of miseries and tor-
tures, found myself in the very depths of the earth, from
which I was suddenly launched into planetary space, under
the form of an eruptive rockl
Next day, the 23d June, Hans calmly awaited us out-
side the presbytery with his two companions loaded witli
provisions, tools, and instruments. Two iron-shod poles,
two guns, and two large game bags, were reserved for my
uncle and myself. Hans, who was a man who never for-
got even the minutest precautions, had added to our bag-
gage a large skin full of water, as an addition to our gourds.
This assured us water for eight days.
It was nine o'clock in the morning when we were quite
ready. The rector and his huge wife or servant, I never
knew which, stood at the door to see us oflf. They ap-
peared to be about to inflict on us the usual final kiss of
the Icelanders. To our supreme astonishment their adieu
took the shape of a formidable bill, in which they even
counted the use of the pastoral house, really and truly the
most abominable and dirty place I ever was in. The worthy
couple cheated and robbed us like a Swiss innkeeper, and
so TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
made us feel, by the sum we had to pay, the splendors of
their hospitality. My uncle, however, paid without bar-
gaining. A man who had made up his mind to undertake
a voyage into the Interior of the Earth, is not the man to
haggle over a few miserable rix-dollars.
This important matter settled, Hans gave the signal for
departure, and some few moments later we had left Stapl
CHAPTER XII
THE ASCENT OF MOUNT SNEFFELS
The huge volcano which was the first stage of our dar-
ing experiment, is above five thousand feet high. Snef-
fels is the termination of a long range of volcanic moun-
tains, of a different character to the system of the island
itself. One of its peculiarities is its two huge pointed
summits. From where we started it was impossible to
make out the real outlines of the peak against the gray field
of sky. All we could distinguish was a vast dome of white,
which fell downwards from the head of the giant. The
commencement of the great undertaking filled me with awe.
Now that we had actually started, I began to believe in the
reality of the undertaking I
Our party formed quite a procession. We walked in
single file, preceded by Hans, the imperturbable eider-duck
hunter. He calmly led us by narrow paths where two
persons could by no possibility walk abreast. Conversa-
tion was wholly impossible. We had all the more oppor-
tunity to reflect, and to admire the awful grandeur of the
scene around.
As we advanced, the road became every moment more
difficult. The soil was broken and dangerous. The rocks
broke and gave way under our feet, and we had to be scrupu-
lously careful in order to avoid dangerous and constant
falls. Hans advanced as calmly as if he had been walking
over Salisbury Plain; sometimes he would disappear be-
hind huge blocks of stone, and we momentarily lost sight
of him. There was a little period of anxiety and then
there was a shrill whistle, just to tell us where to look for
him.
Occasionally he would take it into his head to stop to
THE ASCENT OF MOUNT SNEFFELS 51
pick up hunps of rock, and silently pile them up into small
heaps, in order that we might not lose our way on our re^
turn. He had no idea of the journey we were about to
undertake. At all events, the precaution was a good one;
though how utterly useless and unnecessary — ^but I nrast
not anticipate.
Three hours of terrible fatigue, walking incessantly, had
only brought us to the foot of the great mountain. This
will give some notion of what we had still to underga
Suddenly, however, Hans cried a halt — that is, he made
signs to that effect — ^and a summary kind of breakfast was
laid out on the lava before us. My uncle, who now was
simply Professor Hardwigg, was so eager to advance, that
he bolted his food like a greedy clown. This halt for re-
freshment wa3 also a halt for repose. The Professor was
therefore compelled to wait the good pleasure of his im-
perturbable guide, who did not give the signal for departure
for a good hour. The three Icelanders, who vi^re as taci-
turn as their comrade, did not say a word; but went on
eating and drinking very quietly and soberly.
From this, our first real stage, we began to ascend the
slopes of the Sneffels volcano. Its magnificent snowy
night-cap, as we began to call it, by an optical delusion
very common in mountains, appeared to me to be close at
hand; and yet how many long weary hours must elapse
before we reached its summit What unheard-of fatigue
must we endure!
The stones on the mountain side, held together by no
cement of soil, bound together by no roots or creeping
herbs, gave way continually under our feet, and went rush-
ing below into the plains, like a series of small avalanches.
In certain places the sides of this stupendous mountain were
at an angle so steep that it was impossible to climb up-
wards, and we were compelled to get round these obstacles
as best we might. Those who understand Alpine dimbing
will comprehend our difficutlies. Often we were obliged
to help each other along by means of our climbing poles.
I must say this for my uncle, that he stuck as close to
me as possible. He never lost sight of me, and on many
oecasions his arm supplied me with firm and solid support.
He was strong, wiry, and apparently insensible to fatigue.
Anotfier great advantage with him was that he had the
52 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
innate sentiment of equilibrimn — for he never slipped
or failed in his steps. The Icelanders, though heavily
loaded, climbed with the agility of mountaineers.
Looking up, every now and then, at tlie height of the
great volcano of Sneflfels, it aj^ared to me wholly im-
possible to reach to the stmimit on tliat side ; at all eventSj^
if the angle of inclination did not speedily change.
Fortunately, after an hour of unheard-of fatigues, and
of gymnastic exercises that would have been trying to an
acrobat, we came to a vast field of ice, which wholly sur-
rounded the bottom of the cone of the volcano. The
natives called it the table-cloth, probably from some such
reason as the dwellers in the Cape of Good Hope call their
mountain Table Mountain, and their roads Table Bay.
Here, to our mutual surprise, we found an actual flight
of stone steps, which wonderfully assisted our ascent
This singular flight of stairs was, like everything else, vol-
canic It had been formed by one of those torrents of
stones cast up by the eruptions, and of which the Icelandic
name is stina. If this singular torrent had not been
checked in its descent by the peculiar shape of the flanks
of the moimtain, it would have swept into the sea, and
would have formed new islands. Such as it was, it served
us admirably. The abrupt character of the slopes mo-
mentarily increased, but these remarkable stone steps, a
Httle less difficult than those of the Egyptian p)rramids,
were the one simple natural means by which we were enabled
to proceed.
About seven in the evening of that day, after having
clambered up two thousand of these rough steps, we found
ourselves overlooking a kind of spur or projection of the
moimtain — a sort of buttress upon which the cone-like
crater, properly so called, leaned for support
The ocean lay beneath us at a depth of more than three
thousand two hundred feet — a grand and mighty spectacle.
We had reached the region of eternal snows. The cold
was keen, searching and intense. The wind blew with ex-
traordinary violence. I was utterly exhausted.
My worthy uncle, the Professor, saw clearly that my
legs refused further service, and that, in fact, I was utterly
exhausted. Despite his hot and feverish impatience, he
decided, with a sigh, upon a halt He called the eider-duck
THE ASCENT OF MOUNT SNEFFELS 53
hunter to his side. That worthy, however, shook his head.
" Ofvanfor," was his sole spoken reply.
"It appears,** says my tmcle with a woe-begone look,
** that we must go higlier/*
He then turned to Hans, and asked him to give some
reason for this decisive response.
Mistour," replied the guide.
Ja mistour — ^yes, the mistour," cried one of the Ice-
landic guides in a terrified tone.
It was the first time he had spoken.
"What does this mysterious word signify? " I anxiously
inquired.
" Look,** said my uncle.
I looked down upon the plain below, and I saw a vast,
a prodigious volume of pulverized pumice-stone, of sand,
of dust, rising to the heavens in the form of a mighty water-
spout It resembled the fearful phenomenon of a similar
character known to the travelers in the desert of the great
Sahara.
The wind was driving it directly towards that side of
Sneffels on which we were perched. This opaque veil
standing up between us and the sun projected a deep shadow
on the flanks of the mountain. If this sand-spout broke
over us, we must all be infallibly destro)red, crushed in its
fearful embraces. This extraordinary phenomenon, very
common when the wind shakes the glaciers, and sweeps
over the arid plains, is in the Icelandic tongue called mistour.
" Hastigt, Hastigt ! '* cried our guide.
Now I certainly knew nothing of Danish, but I thor-
oughly understood that his gestures were meant to quicken
us. The guide turned rapidly in a direction which would
take us to the back of the crater, all the while ascending
slightly. iWe followed .rapidly, despite our excessive fa-
tigue.
A^ quarter of an hour later Hans paused to enable us to
look back. The mighty whirlwind of sand was spreading
up the slope of the moimtain to the very spot where we
had proposed to halt Huge stones were caught up, cast
into the air, and thrown about as during an eruption. We
were happily a little out of the direction of the wind, and
therefore out of reach of danger. But for the precaution
and knowledge of pur guide, our dislocated bodies, our
54 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
crashed and broken limbs, would have been cast to the
wind, like dust from some tmknown meteor.
Hans, however, did not think it prudent to pass the night
on the bare side of the cone. We therefore continued our
journey in a zigzag direction. The fifteen himdred feet
which remained to be accomplished took us at least five
hours. The turnings and windings, the no-thoroughfares,
the marches and marches, turned tliat insignificant distance
into at least three leagues. I never felt such misery, fatigue
and exhaustion in my life. I was ready to faint from hun-
ger and cold. The rarefied air at the same time painfully
acted upon my lungs.
At last, when I thought myself at my last gasp, about
eleven at night, it being in that region quite dark, we
reached the summit of Mount Sneff els ! it was in an awful
mood of mind, that despite my fatigue, before I descended
into the crater which was to shelter us for the night, I
paused to behold the stm rise at midnight on the very day
of its lowest declension, and enjoyed the spectacle of its
ghastly pale rays cast upon the isle which Lay sleeping at
our feet!
I no longer wondered at people traveling all the way
from England to Norway, to behold this magical and won-
drous spectacle.
CHAPTER Xni
THE SHADOW OF SCARTARIS
Our supper was eaten with ease and rapidity, after which
everybody did the best he could for himself within the hol-
low of the crater. The bed was hard, the shelter imsatis-
factory, the situation painful — lying in the open air, five
thousand feet above the level of the seal Nevertheless,
it has seldom happened to me to sleep so well as I did on
that particular xxight I did not even dream. So much
for the eflfects of what my uncle called " wholesome fatigue.*'
Next day, when we awoke under the rays of a bright and
glorious sun, we were nearly frozen by the keen air. I
left my granite couch and made one of the party to enjoy
a view of tlie magnificent spectacle which devetoped itself,
panorama-like, at our feet
THE SHADOW OF SCARTARIS 55
I stood upon the lofty simimit of Mount Sneffcls* south-
cm peak. Thence I was able to obtain a view of the greater
part of the island* The optical delusion, common to all
lofty heights, raised the shores of the island, while the cen-
tral portions appeared depressed. It was by no means too
great a flight of fancy to believe that a giant picture was
stretched out before me. I could see the deep valleys that
crossed each other in every direction. I could see precipices
looking like sides of wells, lakes that seemed to be changed
into ponds, ponds that looked like puddles, and rivers ^t
were transformed into petty brooks. To my right were
glaciers upon glaciers, and multiplied peaks, topped with
light clouds of smoke.
The undulation of these infinite numbers of mountains,
whose snowy summits make them look as if covered by
foam, recalled to my remembrance the surface of a storm-
beaten ocean. If I looked towards the west, the ocean
lay before me in all its majestic grandeur, a continuation
as it were, of these fleecy hill-tops. Where the earth
ended and the sea began it was impossible for the eye to
distinguish.
I soon felt that strange and mysterious sensation whidi
IS awakened in the mind when looking down from lofty
hill. tops, and now I was able to do so without any feeling
of nervousness, having fortunately hardened myself to that
kind of sublime contemplation. I wholly forgot who I
was, and where I was. I became intoxicated with a sense
of lofty sublimity, without thought of the abysses into
which my daring was soon about to plunge me. I was
presently, however, brought back to the realities of life by
the arrival of the Professor and Hans, who joined me upon
the lofty summit of the peak.
My imcle, turning in a westerly direction, pointed out
to me a light cloud of vapor, a kind of haze, with a faint
outline of land rising out of the waters. " Greenland 1 '*
said he.
" Greenland ? " cried I in reply.
"Yes," continued my uncle, who always when explain-
ing anything spoke as if he were in a Professor's chair;
*' we are not more than thirty-five leagues distant from that
wonderful land. Wlicn the great annual break up of the
ice taket place, white bears come over to Iceland, carried
\
56 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
by the floating masses of ice from the north. This, how-
ever, is a matter of little consequence. We are now on the
summit of the great, the transcendent Sneflfels, and here are
its two peaks, north and south. Hans will tell you the
name by which tlie people of Iceland call that on which
we stand."
My uncle turned to the imperturbable guide, who
nodded, and spoke as usual — one word. '' Scartaris/*
My uncle looked at me with a proud and triumphant
glance. " A crater," he said, " you hear? "
I did hear, but I was totally unable to make reply.
The crater of Mount Sneffels represented an inverted
cone, the gaping orifice apparently half a mile across; the
depth indefinite feet. Conceive what this hole must have
been like when full of flame and thunder and lightning.
The bottom of the funnel-shaped hojlow was about five
hundred feet in circumference, by which it will be seen
that the slope from the summit to the bottom was very
gradual, and we were therefore clearly able to get there
without much fatigue or difficulty. Involuntarily, I com-
pared this crater to an enormous loaded cannon; and the
comparison completely terrified me.
" To descend into the interior of a cannon," I thought
to myself, " when perhaps it is loaded, and will go pflf at
the least shock, is the act of a madman."
But there was no longer any opportunity for me to hesi-
tate. Hans, with a perfectly calm and indifferent air, took
his usual post at the head of the adventurous little band.
I followed without uttering a syllable. I felt like the lamb
led to the slaughter. '
In order to render the descent less difficult, Hans took
his way down the interior of tlie cone in rather a zigzag
fashion, making, as the sailors say, long tacks to the east-
ward, followed by equally long ones to the west It was
necessary to walk through the midst of eruptive rocks, some
of which, shaken in their balance, went rolling down with
thundering clamor to the bottom of the abyss. These con-
tinual falls awoke echoes of singular power and effect.
Many portions of the cone consisted of inferior glaciers.
Hans, whenever he met with one of these obstacles advanced
with a great show of precaution, sounding the soil with his
long iron pole in order to discover fissures and layers of
THE SHADOW OF SCARTARIS 57
deep soft snow. In many doubtful or dangerous places, it
became necessary for us to be tied together by a long rope
in order that should any one of us be unfortunate enough
to slip, he would be supported by his companions. This
connecting link was doubtless a prudent precaution, but not
by any means unattended with danger.
Nevcrtlieless, despite all the manifold difficulties of the
descent, along slopes with which our guide was wholly un-
acquainted, we made considerable progress without acci-
dent. One of our great parcels of rope slipped from one
of the Iceland porters, and rushed by a short cut to tlie
bottom of the abyss.
By mid-day we were at the end of our journey. I looked
upwards, and saw only the upper orifice of the cone, iwhich
served as a circular frame to a very small portion of the
sky — ^a portion which seemed to me singularly beautiful.
Should I ever again gaze on that lovely sunlit sky !
The only exception to this extraordinary landscape, was
the Peak of Scartaris, which seemed lost in tlie great void
of the heavens.
The bottom of the crater was' composed of three separ-
ate shafts, through which, during periods of eruption, when
Sneffels was in action, the great central furnace sent forth
its burning lava and poisonous vapors. Each of these
chimneys or shafts gaped open-mouthed in our path. I
kept as far away from them as possible, not even venturing
to take the faintest peep downwards.
As for the Professor, after a rapid examination of their
disposition and characteristics, he became breathless and
panting. He ran from one to the other like a delighted
school-boy, gesticulating wildly, and uttering incompre-
hensible and disjointed phrases in all sorts of languages.
Hans, the guide, and his humbler companions seated them-
selves on some piles of lava and looked silently on. They
clearly took my uncle for a lunatic; and — ^waited tlie
result.
Suddenly the Professor uttered a wild, unearthly cry.
At first I imagined he had lost his footing, and was falling
headlong into one of the yawning gulfs. Nothing of the
kind. I saw him, his arms spread out to their widest ex-
tent, his legs stretched apart, standing upright before an
enormous pedestal, high enough and black enough to bear
58 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
a gigantic statue of Pluto. His attitude and mien were
that of a man utterly stupefied. But his stupefaction was
speedily changed to the wildest joy. "Harry! Harry!
come here I" he cried; "make haste — wonderful — ^won-
derful 1"
Unable to understand what he meant, I turned to obey
his commands. Neither Hans, nor tlie other Icelanders
moved a step.
" Lookl " said the Professor, in something of the manner
of the French general, pointing out the pyramids to his
army. And fully partakmg his stupefaction, if not his joy,
I read on the eastern side of the huge block of stone, the
same characters, half eaten away by tifie corrosive action of
time, the name, to me a tliousand times accursed— «
nJLKt . hmhhhiX
** Ame Saknussemm I " cried my uncle, ** now, unbeliever,
do you begin to have faith?"
It was totally impossible for me to answer a single word.
I went back to my pile of lava, in a state of silent awe.
The evidence was unanswerable, overwhelming I
In a few moments, however, my thoughts were far away,
back in my German home, with Gretchen and the old cook.
What would I have given for one of my cousin's smiles,
for one of the ancient domestic's omelettes, and for my own
feather bed! How long I remained in this state I know
not All I can say is, that when at last I raised my head
from between my hands, there remained at the bottom of
the crater only myself, my tmcle and Hans, The Ice-
landic porters had been dismissed and were now descend-
ing the exterior slopes of Mount SneflFels, on their way to
Stapi. How heartily did I wish myself with them!
Hans slept tranquilly at the foot of a rock in a kind of
rill of lava, where he had made himself a rough and ready
bed. My uncle was walking about the bottom of the crater
like a wild beast in a cage. I had no desire, neitlier had I
the strength, to move from my reamibent position. Tak-
ing example by the guide, I gave way to a kind of painful
somnolency, during whicli I seemed both to hear and feel
continual heavings and shudderings in the mountain. In
this way we passed our first night in the interior of a
crmtcr.
^
THE SHADOW OF SCARTARIS 59
Next morning,, a gray, cloudy, heavy sky hung like a
funeral-pall over the summit of the volcanic cone, I did
not notice it so much from the obscurity that reigned
around us, as from the rage with which my uncle was de-
voured.
I fully tmderstood the reason, and again a glimpse of
hope made my heart leap with joy. I will briefly explain
the cause. Of the three openings which yawned beneath
our steps, only one could have been followed by the ad-
venturous Saknussemm. According to the words of the
learned Icelander, it was only to be known by that one par-
ticular mentioned in the cryptograph, that the shadow of
Scartaris fell upon it, just touching its mouth in the last
days of the month of June. We were, in fact, to consider
the pointed peak as the stylus of an immense sun-dial, the
shadow of which pointed on one given day, like the inex-
orable finger of fate, to the yawning chasm which led into
the interior of the earth.
Now, as often happens in these regions, should the sun
fail to burst through the clouds, no shadow. Consequently,
no chance of discovering the right aperture. We had al-
ready reached the 25th June. If the kindly heavens would
only remain densely clouded for six more days, we should
have to put oflf our voyage of discovery for another year,
when certainly there would be one person fewer in the
party. I already had sufficient of the mad and monstrous
enterprise.
It would be utterly impossible to depict the impotent rage
of Professor Hardwigg. The day passed away, and not
the faintest outline of a shadow could be seen at the bottom
of the crater. Hans the guide never moved from his place.
He must have been curious to know what we were about,
if indeed he could believe we were about anything. As for
my uncle, he never addressed a word to me. He was nurs-
ing his wrath to keep it warm! His eyes fixed on the
black and foggy atmosphere, his complexion hideous with
suppressed passion. Never had his eyes appeared so fierce,
his nose so aquiline, his mouth so hard and firm.
On the 26th no change for the better. A mixture of rain
and snow fell during the whole day. Hans very quietly
built himself a hut of lava into which he retired like Diog-
enes into his tub. I took a malicious delight in watching
6o TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
the thousand little cascades that flowed down the side of the
cone, carrying with them at times a stream of stones into
the " vasty deep " below.
My uncle was almost frantic: to be sure it was enough
to make even a patient man angry. He had reached to a
certain extent the goal of his desires, and yet he was likely
to be wrecked in port
But if the heavens and the elements are capable of caus-
ing us much pain and sorrow, there are two sides to a
medal. And there was reserved for Professor Hardwigg
a brilliant and sudden surprise which was to compensate
him for all his sufferings. Next day the sky was still over-
cast, but on Sunday, the 26th, the last day but one of the
month, with a sudden change of wind and a new moon there
came a change of weather. The sun poured its beaming
rays to the very bottom of the crater.
Each hillock, every rock, every stone, every asperity of
the soil had its share of the luminous effulgence, and its
shadow fell heavily on the soil. Among others, to his in-
sane delight, the shadow of Scartaris was marked and dear,
and moved slowly with the radiant star of day.
My uncle moved with it in a state of mental ecstasy. At
twelve o'clock exactly, when the sun had attained its highest
altitude for the day, the shadow fell upon the edge of the
central pitl
" Here it is," gasped the Professor in an agony of joy,
" here it is — we have found it Forward, my friends, into
the Interior of the Earth."
I looked curiously at Hans to see what reply he would
make to this terrific announcement "Forut," said the
guide tranquilly.
" Forward it is," answered my uncle, who was now in
the seventh heaven of delight
When we were quite ready, our watches indicated thir-
teen minutes past one 1
CHAPTER XIV
THE REAL JOURNEY COMMENCES
Our real journey now commenced. Hitherto our cour-
age and determination had overcome all difficulties. We
were fatigued at times; and that was alL Now, unknown
and fearful dangers were to be encoimtered.
I had not as yet ventured to take a glimpse down the
horrible abyss into which in a few minutes more I was about
to plunge. The fatal moment had, however, at last arrived.
I had still the option of refusing or accepting a share in this
foolish and audacious enterprise. But I was ashamed to
show more fear than the eider-duck htmter. Hans seemed
to accept the difficulties of tlie journey so tranquilly, with
such calm indiflference, with such perfect recklessness of all
danger, that I actually blushed to appear less of a man
than hel Had I been alone with my uncle, I should cer-
taily have sat down and argued the point fully; but in the
presence of the guide I held my tongue. I gave one mo-
ment to the thought of my charming cousin, and then I ad-
vanced to the mouth of the central shaft
It measured about a hundred feet in diameter, whicK
made about three hundred in circumference. I leaned over
a rock which stood on its edge, and looked down. My hair
stood on end, my teeth chattered, my limbs trembled, I
seemed utterly to lose my center of gravity, while my head
was in a sort of whirl, like that of a drunken man. There
is nothing more powerful than this attraction towards an
abyss. I was about to fall headlong into the gaping well,
when I was drawn back by a firm and powerful hand. It
was that of Hans. I had not taken lessoj^s enough at the
Frelser's-kirk of Copenhagen in the art of looking down
from lofty eminences without Winking!
However, few as the minutes were during which I gazed
down this tremendous and even wondrous shaft, I had a
sufficient glimpse of it to give me some idea of its physical
conformation. Its sides, which were almost as perpendicu-
lar as those of a well, presented numerous projections which
doubtless would assist our descent
It was a sort of wild and savage staircase, without ban-
nister or fence. A rope fastened above, near the surface,
would certainly support our weight and enable us to reach
the bottom, but how, when we had arrived at its utmost
61
62 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
depth, were wc to loosen it above? This was, I thought,
a question of some importance.
My uncle, however, was one of those men who are nearly
always prepared with expedients. He hit upon a very sim-
ple method of obviating this difficulty. He unrolled a cord
about as thick as my thumb, and at least four himdred feet
in length. He allowed about half of it to go down the pit
and catch in a hitch over a great block of lava which stood
on the edge of the precipice. This done, he threw the sec-
ond half after the first
Each of us could now descend by catching the two cords
in one hand. When about two hundred feet below, all the
explorer had to do was to let go one end and pull away at
the other, when the cord would come falling at his feet. In
order to go down farther, all that was necessary was to
continue the same operation. Going down thus appeared to
me easy enough, it was the coming up again that now occu-
pied my thoughts.
" Now," said my imcle, as soon as he had completed this
important preparation, " let us see about the baggage. It
must be divided into three separate parcels, and each of us
must carry one on his back. I allude to the more important
and fragile articles.'* My worthy and ingenious uncle did
not appear to consider that we came imder that denomina-
tions. " Hans," he continued, " you will take charge of the
tools and some of the provisions; you, Harry, must take
possession of another third of the provisions and of the
arms. I will load myself with the rest of the eatables, and
with the more delicate instruments."
** But," I exclaimed, " our clothes, this mass of cord and
ladders — ^who will imdertake to carry them down?''
" They will go down of themselves."
" And how so ? " I asked.
" You shall see." My uncle was not fond of half meas-
ures, nor did he like anything in the way of hesitation. Giv-
ing his orders to Hans he had the whole of the non-fragile
articles made up into one btmdle; and the packet firmly
and solidly fastened, was simply pitched over the edge of
the gulf.
I heard the moaning of the suddenly displaced air, and
the noise of falling stones. My uncle leahfng over the abyss
followed the descent of his luggage with a perfectly self-
THE REAL JOURNEY COMMENCES 63
satisfied air, and did not rise until it had completely
disappeared from sight " Now then/' he cried, " it is our
turn."
I put it in good faith to any man of common sense — ^was
it possible to hear this energetic cry without a shudder?
The Professor fastened his case of instruments on his back.
Hans took charge of the tools, I of the arms. The descent
then commenced in the following order: Hans went first,
my uncle followed, and I went last. Our progress was
made in profound silence — ^a silence only troubled by tiie
fall of pieces of rock, which breaking from the jagged sides,
fell wiUi a roar into the depths below.
I allowed myself to slide, so to speak, holding frantically
on the double cord with one hand and with the other keep-
ing myself off the rocks by the assistance of my iron-shod
pole. One idea was all the time impressed upon my brain.
I feared that the upper support would fail me. The cord
aipptSLTtd to me far too fragile to bear the weight of three
such persons as we were, with our luggage. I made as little
use of it as possible, trusting to my own agility and doing
miracles in the way of feats of dexterity and strength upon
the projecting shelves and spurs of lava which my feet
seemed to clutch as strongly as my hands.
The guide went first as I have said, and when one of the
slippery and frail supports broke from under his feet he had
recourse to his usual monosyllabic way of speaking.
" Gifakt ''
" Attention — ^look out," repeated my uncle.
In about half an hour we reached a kind of small terrace
formed by a fragment of rock projecting some distance
from the sides of the shaft Hans now began to haul upon
the cord on one side only, the other going as quietly upward
as the other came down. It fell at last, bringing with it a
shower of small stones, lava and dust, a disagreeable kind
of rain or hail.
While we were seated on this extraordinary bench I ven-
tured once more to look downwards. With a sigh I dis-
covered that the bottom was still wholly invisible. Were
we, then, going direct to the interior of the earth?
The performance with the cord recommenced, and a
quarter of an hour later we had descended another two hun-
dred feet
64 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
I have very strong doubts if the most determined geolo-
gist would, during that descent have studied the nature of
the different layers of earth around him. I did not trouble
my head much about the matter; whether we were among
the combustible carbon, Silurians, or primitive soil, I neither
knew nor cared to know.
Not so the inveterate Professor. He must have taken
notes all the way down, for, at one of our halts, he began
a brief lecture. " The farther we advance," said he, " the
greater is my confidence in the result. The disposition of
Siese volcana strata absolutely confirms the theories of Sir
Humphrey Davy. We are still within the region of the
primordial soil, the soil in which took place the chemical
operation of metals becoming inflamed by coming in con-
tact with the air and water. I at once regret the old and
now for ever exploded theory of a central fire. At all
events, we shall soon know the truth.'*
Such was the conclusion to which he came. I, however,
was very far from being in humor to discuss the matter.
I had something else to think of. My silence was taken
for consent ; and still we continued to go down.
At the expiration of three hours, we were, to all appear-
ance, as far off as ever from the bottom of the well. When
I looked upwards, however, I could see that the upper ori-
fice was every minute decreasing in size. The sides of the
shaft were getting closer and closer together, we were ap-
proaching the regions of eternal night!
And still we continued to descend ! At length, I noticed
that when pieces of stone were detached from the sides of
this stupendous precipice, they were swallowed up with less
noise than before. The final sound was sooner heard. We
were approaching the bottom of the abyss I
As I had been very careful to keep account of all the
changes of cord which took place, I was able to tell exactly
what was* the depth we had reached, as well as the time it
had taken. We had shifted the rope twenty-eight times,
each operation taking a quarter of an hour, which in all
made seven hours. To this had to be added twenty-eight
pauses; in all ten hours and a half. We started at one, it
was now, therefore, about eleven o'clock at night
It does not require great knowledge of aritlunetic to
know that twenty-eight times two hundred feet makes five
1
THE REAL JOURNEY COMMENCES 65
thousand six hundred feet in all (more than an English
mile).
Wliile I was making this mental calculation a voice broke
the silence- It was the voice of Hans. " Halt! " he cried.
I checked myself very suddenly, just at tlie moment when
I was about to kick my uncle on the head.
"We have reached the end of our journey/* said the
worthy Professor in a satisfied tone.
" What, tlie interior of the earth ? ** said I, slipping down
to his side.
" No, you stupid fellow I but we have reached the bottom
of the well.'*
" And I suppose there is no farther progress to be made ? '*
I hopefully exclaimed.
" Oh, yes, I can dimly see a sort of tunnel, which turns
off obliquely to the right At all events, we must see about
that to-morrow. Let us sup now, and seek slumber as best
we may."
I thought it time, but made no observations on that point.
I was fairly launched on a desperate course, and all I had
to do was to go forward hopefully and trustingly.
It was not even now quite dark, the light filtering down in
a most extraordinary manner. We opened the provision
bag, ate a frugal supper, and each did his best to find a bed
amid the pile of stones, dirt, and lava which had accumu-
lated for ages at the bottom of the shaft I happened to
grope out the pile of ropes, ladders, and clothes which we
had thrown down ; and upon them I stretched myself. After
such a day's labor, my rough bed seemed as soft as down!
For a while I lay in a sort of pleasant trance. Pres-
ently, after lying quietly for some minutes, I opened my
eyes and looked upwards. As I did so I made out a bril-
liant little dot, at tlie extremity of this long, gigantic tele-
scope.
It was a star without scintillating rays. According to
my calculation, it must be in the constellation of the Lit-
tle Bear. After this little bit of astronomical recreation, I
dropped into a sound sleep.
r
^
*
f
0*
CHAPTER XV
WE CONTINUE OUR DESCENT
H
\
\
At eight o'clock the next morning, a faint kind of dawn
awoke us. The thousand and one prisms of the lava col-
lected the light as it passed and brought it to us like a shower
of sparks. We were able with ease to see objects around us.
" Well, Harry, my boy," cried the delighted Professor,
rubbing his hands together, "what say you now? Did
you ever pass a more tranquil night in our house in the
Konig Strasse? No deafening sounds of cart-wheels, no
cries of hawkers, no bad language from boatmen or wa-
termen ! "
" Well, uncle, we are quiet at the bottom of this well —
but to me there is something terrible in this calm.*'
" Why," said the Professor, hotly, " one would say you
were already beginning to be afraid. How will you get on
presently? Do you know, that as yet, we have not pene-
trated one inch into the bowels qi the earth."
" What can you mean, sir? " was my bewildered and as-
tonished reply.
" I mean to say that we have only just reached the soil
of the island itself. This long vertical tube, which ends
at the bottom of the crater of Sneffels, ceases here just
about on a level with the sea."
" Are you sure, sir? "
" Quite sure. Consult the barometer."
It was quite true that the mercury, after rising gradu-
ally in the instrument, as long as our descent was taking
place, had stopped precisely at twenty-nine degrees. " You
perceive," said the Professor, " we have as yet only to en-
dure the pressure of air. I am curious to replace the ba-
rometer by the manometer." The barometer, in fact, was.
about to become useless — as soon as the weight of the air
was greater than what was calculated as above the level of
the ocean.
" But," said I, " is it not very much to be feared that this
ever-increasing pressure may not in the end turn out very
painful and inconvenient? "
"No," said he. "We shall descend very slowly, and
our lungs will be gradually accustomed to breathe com-
pressed air. It is well known that aeronauts have gone so
high as to be nearly without air at all — why, then, should
66
WE CONTINUE OUR DESCENT 67
we not accustom ourselves to breathe when we have, say,
a little too much of it? For myself, I am certain I shall
prefer it Let us not lose a moment. Where is the packet
which preceded us in our descent? "
I smilingly pointed it out to my uncle, Hans had not
seen it, and believed it caught somewhere above us ; " huppe "
as he phrased it.
"Now," said my uncle, "let us breakfast, and breakfast
like people who have a long day's work before them.*'
Biscuit and dried meat, washed down by some mouth-
fuls of water flavored with schiedam, was the material of
our luxurious meal. As soon as it was finished, my uncle
took from his pocket a note-book destined to be filled by
memoranda of our travels. He had already placed his in-
struments in order, and this is what he wrote : — Monday,
July 1st. Chronometer, 8h. 17m. morning. Barometer, 29
degrees. Thermometer, 43 degrees Fahr. Direction,
E. S. E.
This last observation referred to the obscure gallery, and
was indicated to us by the compass.
"Now, Harry," cried the Professor, in an enthusiastic
tone of voice, " we are truly about to take our first step into
the Interior of the Earth; never before visited by man since
the first creation of the world. You may consider, there-
fore, that at this precise moment our travels really com-
mence."
As my uncle made this remark, he took in one hand the
Ruhmkorff coil apparatus, which hung round his neck, and
with the other he put the electric current into communica-
tion with the worm of the lantern. And a bright light at
once illumined that dark and gloomy ttmnel! The effect
was magical I
Hans, who carried the second apparatus, had it also put
into operation. This ingenious application of electricity to
practical purposes enabled us to move along by the light
of an artificial day, amid even the flow of the most inflam-
mable and combustible gases.
" Forward ! " cried my uncle. Each took up his burden.
Hans went first, my uncle followed, and I going third, we
entered the somber gallery! Just as we were about to en-
gulf ourselves in this dismal passage, I lifted up my head,
and through the tubelike shaft I saw that Iceland sky I was
68 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
never to see again! Was it the last I should ever see of
any sky?
The stream of lava flowing from the bowels of the earth
in 1229, had forced itself a passage through the tunnel. It
lined the whole of the inside with its thick and brilHant
coating. The electric light added very greatly to the bril-
liancy of the effect. The great difficulty of our journey
now began. How were we to prevent ourselves from slip-
ping down the steeply-inclined plane? Happily some
cracks, abrasures of the soil, and other irregularities, served
the place of steps; and we descended slowly; allowing our
heavy luggage to slip on before, at the end of a long cord.
But that which served as steps under our feet, became
in other places stalactites. The lava, very porous in certain
places, took the form of little round blisters. Crystals of
opaque quartz, adorned with limpid drops of natural glass
suspended to the roof like lusters, seemed to take fire as
we passed beneath them. One would have fancied that the
genii of romance were illuminating their underground pal-
aces to receive the sons of men. '
" Magnificent, glorious! " I cried in a moment of invol-
untary enthusiasm, " what a spectacle, uncle ! Do you not
admire these variegated shades of lava, which run through
a whole series of colors, from reddish brown to pale yellow
— ^by the most insensible degrees ? And these crystals, tliey
appear like luminous globes."
" You are beginning to see the charms of travel, Master
Harry," cried my uncle. "Wait a bit, until we advance
farther. What we have as yet discovered is notliing— -on-
wards, my boy, onwards 1 "
It would have been a far more correct and appropriate
expression, had he said, " let us slide," for we were going
down an inclined plane with perfect ease. The compass
indicated that we were moving in a south-easterly direc-
tion. The flow of lava had never turned to the right or
the left. It had the inflexibility of a straight line.
Nevertheless, to my surprise, we found no perceptible
increase in heat. This proved the theories of Humphrey
Davy to be founded on truth, and more than once I found
myself examining the thermometer in silent astonishment.
Two hours after my departure it only marked 54 degrees
Fahrenheit. I had every reason to believe from tliis that
WE CONTINUE OUR DESCENT 69
our descent was far more horizontal than vertical As for
discovering the exact depth to which we had attained, noth-
ing could be easier. The Professor, as he advanced meas-
ured the angles of deviation and inclination; but he kept
the result of his observations to himself.
About eight o'clock in the evening, my uncle gave the
signal for tlie night's rest. Hans seated himself on the
ground. The lamps were hung to fissures in the lava rock.
We were now in a large cavern where air was not wanting.
On the contrary, it abounded. What could be the cause
of this — ^to what atmospheric agitation could be ascribed
this draught? But this was a question which I did not
care to discuss just then. Fatigue and hunger made me
incapable of reasoning. An almost tmceasing march of
twelve hours had not been kept up without great exhaus-
tion. I was really and truly worn out; and delighted
enough I was to hear the word Halt
Hans laid out some provisions on a lump of lava, and
we each supped with keen relish. One thing, however,
caused us great imeasiness— our water reserve was already
half exhausted. My uncle had full confidence in finding
subterranean resources, but hitherto we had completely
failed in so doing. I could not help calling my uncle's at-
tention to the circumstance. " And you are surprised at
this total absence of springs? " he said.
" Doubtless — I am very uneasy on the point We have
certainly not enough water to last us five days."
" Be quite easy on that matter," continued my uncle. *' I
answer for it we shall find plenty of water — in fact, far
more tlian we shall want."
"But when?"
" When we once get through this crust of lava. How
can you expect springs to force their way through these
solid stone walls ? "
"But what is there to prove that this concrete mass of
lava does not extend to the center of the earth? I don't
think we have as yet done much in a vertical way."
"What puts that into your head, my boy?" asked my
uncle, mildly.
" Well, it appears to me that if we had descended very
far below the level of the sea — we should find it rather
hotter than we have."
70 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
" According to your system," said my uncle ; " but what
does the thermometer say ? "
" Scarcely 1 5 degrees by Reaumur, which is only an in-
crease of 9 since our departure."
" Well, and what conclusion does that bring you to ? "
inquired the Professor.
"The deduction I draw from this is very simple. Ac-
cording to the most exact observations, the augmentation
of the temperature of the interior of the earth is i degree
for every hundred feet. But certain local causes may con-
siderably modify this figure. The difference evidently de-
pends on the conductibiUty of certain rocks. In the neigh-
borhood of an extinct volcano, it has been remarked that
the elevation of temperature was only i degree in every 125
feet. Let us, then, go upon this calculation — ^which is the
most favorable — ^and calculate."
" Calculate a^yay, my boy,"
" Nothing easier," said I, pulling out my note-book and
pencil. "Nine times one hundred and twenty-five feet,
make a depth of eleven hundred and twenty-five feet."
"Archimedes could not have spoken more geometri-
cally."
"Well?"
" Well, according to my observations, we are at least ten
thousand feet below the level of the sea."
" Can it be possible ? "
" Either my calculation is correct, or there is no truth in
figures."
The calculations of the Professor were perfectly correct.
We were already six thousand feet deeper down in the
bowels of the earth than anyone had ever been before.
The lowest known depth to which man had hitherto pene-
trated was in the mines of Kitz-Bahl, on the Tyrol, and
those of Wiirttemburg in Bohemia.
The temperature, which should have been eighty-one,
was in this place only fifteen. This was a matter for seri-
ous consideration.
CHAPTER XVI
THE EASTERN TUNNEL
The next day was Tuesday, the 2d of July — and at six
o'clock in the morning we resumed our journey. We still
continued to follow the gallery of lava, a perfect natural
pathway, as easy of descent as some of those inclined planes
which, in very old German houses, serve the purpose of
staircases. This went on until seventeen minutes past
twelve, the precise instant at which we rejoined Hans, who
having been somewhat in advance, had suddenly stopped.
"At last." cried my uncle, "we have reached the end
of the shaft."
I looked wonderingly about me. We were in the center
of four cross paths — somber and narrow tunnels. The
question now arose as to which it was wise to take; and
this of itself was no small difficulty. My uncle, who did
not wish to appear to have any hesitation about tlie matter
before myself or the guide, at once made up his mind. He
pointed quietly to the eastern tunnel ; and, without delay, we
entered within its gloomy recesses.
Besides, had he entertained any feeling of hesita-
tion it might have been prolonged indefinitely, for there
was no indication by which to determine on a choice. It
was absolutely necessary to trust to chance and good for-
tune I
The descent of this obscure and narrow gallery was very
gradual and winding. Sometimes we gazed through a suc-
cession of arches, its course very like the aisles of a Gothic
catliedral. The great artistic sculptors and builders of the
middle ages might have here completed their studies with
advantage. Many most beautiful and suggestive ideas of
architectural beauty would have been discovered by them.
After passing through this phase of the cavernous way, we
suddenly came, about a mile farther on, upon a square sys-
tem of arch, such as that adopted by the early Romans,
projecting from the solid rock, and keeping up the weight
of the roof. Suddenly we woiild come upon a series of low
subterranean tunnels which looked like beaver holes, or the
work of foxes. Through these narrow and winding ways
we had literally to crawl !
The heat still remained at quite a supportable degree.
With an involuntary shudder, I reflected on what the heat
71
y2 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
must have been when the volcano of Sneffels was pouring
its smoke, flames, and streams of boiling lava — ^all of which
must have come up by the road we were now following. I
could imagine the torrents of hot seething stone darting on,
bubbling up with accompaniments of smoke, steam, and
sulphurous stench ! " Only to think of the consequences,"
I mused, " if the old volcano were once more to set to
work."
I did not communicate these rather unpleasant reflections
to my uncle. His only idea was to go ahead. He walked,
he slid, he clambered over piles of fragments, he rolled down
heaps of broken lava, witli an earnestness and conviction it
was impossible not to admire.
At six o'clock in the evening, after a very wearisome
journey, but one not so fatiguing as before, we had made
six miles towards the southward, but had not gone more
than a mile downwards.
My uncle, as usual, gave the signal to halt. We ate our
meal in thoughtful silence, and then retired to sleep. Our
arrangements for the night were very primitive and simple.
A traveling rug, in which each rolled himself, was all our
bedding. We had no necessity to fear cold or any un-
pleasant visit Travelers who bury themselves in the wilds
and depths of the African desert, who seek profit and
pleasure in the forests of the New World, are compelled
to take it in turn to watch during the hours of sleep ; but in
this region of the earth absolute solitude and complete se-
curity reigned supreme.
After a night's sweet repose, we awoke fresh and ready
for action. There being nothing to detain us, we started
on our journey. We continued to burrow through the lava
tunnel as before. It was impossible to make out through
what soil we were making way. The tunnel, moreover, in-
stead of going down into the bowels of the earth, became
absolutely horizontal. I even thought, after some exam-
ination, that we were actually tending upwards. About ten
o'clock in the day this state of things became so clear, that
finding the change very fatiguing I was obliged to slacken
my pace and finally to come to a halt. " Well," said the
Professor quickly, *' what is the matter? "
"The fact is, I am dreadfully tired," was my earnest
replf
THE EASTERN TUNNEL J2>
"What/' cried my uncle, "tired after a three hours'
walk, and by so easy a road ? "
" Easy enough, I dare say, but very fatiguing."
" «But how can tliat be, when all we have to do is to go
downwards."
" I beg your pardon, sir. For some time I have noticed
that we are going upwards."
"Upwards," cried my tmcle, shrugging his shoulders,
"how can that be?"
" There can be no doubt about it. For the last half hour
the slopes have been upward — and if we go on in this way
much longer we shall find ourselves back in Iceland."
My uncle shook his head with the air of a man who does
not want to be convinced. I tried to continue the conversa-
tion. He would not answer me, but once more gave the
signal for departure. His silence I thought was only
caused by concentrated ill-temper.
However this might be, I once more took up my load,
and resolutely followed Hans, who was now in advance of
my tmcle. I did not like to be beaten or even distanced.
The very idea of being left behind, lost in that terrible laby-
rinth, made me shiver as with the ague. Besides, if the
ascending path was more arduous and painful to clamber,
I had one source of secret consolation and delight. It was
to all appearance taking us back to the surface of the earth.
That of itself was hopeful. Every step I took confirmed
me in my belief, and I began already to build castles in the
air in relation to my marriage with my pretty little cousin.
About twelve o'clock there was a great and sudden
change in the aspect of the rocky sides of the gallery. I
first noticed it from the diminution of the rays of light
which cast back the reflection of the lamp. From being
coated with shining and resplendent lava, it became living
rock The sides were sloping walls, which sometimes be-
came quite vertical. We were now in what the geological
professors call a state of transition, in the period of Silurian
stones. " I can see, clearly now," I cried ; " the sediment
from the waters which once covered the whole earth,
formed during the second period of its existence, these
schists and these calcareous rocks. We are turning our
backs on the granite rocks."
I might just as well have kept my observations to my-
41
74 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
self. My geological enthusiasm got the better, however,
of my cooler judgment, and Professor Hardwigg heard my
observations. " What is the matter now ? " he said, in a
tone of great gravity.
" Well," cried I, " do you not see these different layers
of calcareous rocks and the first indication of slate strata? "
Well; what then?"
We have arrived at that period of the world's exist-
ence when the first plants and the first animals made their
appearance."
"You think so?"
" Yes, look; examine and judge for yourself."
I induced the Professor with some difficulty to cast the
light of his lamp on the sides of the long winding gallery.
I expected some exclamation to burst from his lips. I was
very much mistaken. The worthy Professor never spoke a
word.
It was impossible to say whether he understood me or
not. Perhaps it was possible that in his pride — ^my uncle
and a learned professor — he did not like to own that he
was wrong in having chosen the eastern tunnel, or was he
determined at any price to go to the end of it? It was
quite evident we had left the region of lava, and that the
road by which we were going could not take us back to
the great crater of Mount Sneffels. " At all events, if I am
right," I thought to myself, " I must certainly find some
remains of primitive plants ,and it will be absolutely neces-
sary to give way to such indubitable evidence. Let us have
a good search."
I accordingly lost no opportunity of searching, and had
not gone more than about a hundred yards, when the evi-
dence I sought for cropped up in the most incontestable
manner before my eyes. It was quite natural that I should
expect to find these signs, for during the Silurian period
the seas contained no fewer than fifteen hundred different
animal and vegetable species. My feet so long accustomed
to the hard and arid lava soil, suddenly found themselves
treading on a kind of soft dust, the remains of plants and
shells. Upon the walls themselves I could clearly make out
the outline, as plain as a sun picture, of the fucus and the
lycopodes. The worthy and excellent Professor Hardwigg
could not of course make any mistake about the matter ; but
THE EASTERN TUNNEL' 73
I believe he deliberately closed his eyes, and continued on
his way with a firm and unalterable step,
I began to think that he was carrying his obstinacy a
great deal too far. I could no longer act with prudence
or composure. I stooped on a sudden and picked up an
almost perfect shell, which had undoubtedly belonged to
some animal very much resembling some of the present day.
Having secured the prize, I followed in the wake of my
uncle. " Do you see this? " I said.
" Well," said the Professor, with the most imperturbable
tranquillity, " it is the shell of a crustaceous animal of the
extinct order of the trilobites ; nothing more I assure you."
" But," cried I, much troubled at his coolness, " do you
draw no conclusion from it ? "
" Well, if I may ask, what conclusion do you draw from
it yourself?"
'' Well, I thought ''
"I know, my boy, what you would say, and you are
right, perfectly and incontestably right. We have finally
abandoned the crust of lava and the road by which the
lava ascended. It is quite possible that I may have been
mistaken, but I shall be unable to discover my error until
I get to the end of this gallery."
"You are quite right as far as that is concerned," I
replied, " and I should highly approve of your decision, if
we had not to fear the greatest of all dangers."
"And what is that?"
" Want of water."
"Well, my dear Henry, it can't be helped. We must
put ourselves on rations."
And on he went.
CHAPTER XVn
DEEPER AND DEEPER — ^THE COAL MINE
In truth, we were compelled to put ourselves upon
rations. Our supply would certainly last not more than
three days. I found this out about supper time. The
worst part of the matter was, that in what is called the
transition rocks, it was hardly to be expected we should
meet with water ! I had read of the horrors of thirst, and
76 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
I knew that where we were, a brief trial of its sufferings
would put an end to our adventures — ^and our lives! But
it was utterly useless to discuss the matter with my uncle.
He would have answered by some axiom from Plato.
During the whole of the next day we proceeded on our
journey through this interminable gallery, arch after arch,
tunnel after tunnel. We journeyed without exchanging a
word. We had become as mute and reticent as Hans our
guide. The road had no longer an upward tendency; at
all events, if it had, it was not to be made out very clearly.
Sometimes there could be no doubt that we were going
downwards. But this inclination was scarcely to be dis-
tinguished, and was by no means reassuring to the Pro-
fessor, because the character of the strata was in no wise
modified, and the transition character of the rocks became
more and more marked.
It was a glorious sight to see how the electric light
brought out the sparkles in the walls of the calcareous
rocks, and the old red sandstone. One might have fancied
oneself in one of those deep cuttings in Devonshire, which
have given their name to this kind of soil. Some magnifi-
cent specimens of marble projected from the sides of the
gallery; some of an agate gray with white veins of varie-
gated character, others of a yellow spotted color, with red
veins; farther off might be seen samples of color in which
cherry-tinted seams were to be found in all their brightest
shades.
The greater number of these marbles were stamped with
the marks of primitive animals. Since the previous even-
ing, nature and creation had made considerable progress.
Instead of the rudimentary trilobites, I perceived the re-
mains of a more perfect order. Among others, the fish in
which the eye of a geologist has been able to discover the
first form of the reptile. It was quite evident to me that
we were ascending the scale of animal life of which man
forms the summit My excellent uncle, the Professor, ap-
peared not to take notice of these warnings. He was deter-
mined at any risk to proceed.
He must have been in expectation of one of two things ;
either that a vertical well was about to open under his
feet, and thus allow him to continue his descent, or that
some insurmountable obstacle would compel us to stop
THE COAL MINE 77
and go back by the road we had so long traveled But
evening came again, and, to my horror, neitlier hope was
doomed to be realized I
On Friday, after a night when I began to feel the gnaw-
ing agony of thirst, and when in consequence appetite de-
creased, our little band rose and once more followed the
turnings and windings, the ascents and descents, of this
interminable gallery. AH were silent and gloomy. I could
see that even my uncle felt we had ventured too far.
After about ten hours of further progress, — z, progress
dull and monotonous to the last degree — I remarked that
the reverberation, and reflection of our lamps upon the
sides of the tunnel had singularly diminished. The marble,
the schist, the calcareous rocks, the red sandstone, had dis-
appeared, leaving in their places a dark and gloomy wall,
sombre and without brightness. When we reached a re-
markably narrow part of the tunnel, I leaned my left hand
against the rock. When I took my hand away, and hap-
pened to glance at it, it was quite black. We had reached
the coal strata of the Central Earth. " A coal mine I " I
cried.
"A coal mine without miners," responded my uncle, a
little severely.
" How can we tell ? "
" I can tell," replied my uncle, in a sharp and doctorial
tone. " I am perfectly certain that this gallery through
successive layers of coal, was not cut by the hand of man.
But whether it is the work of nature or not is of little
concern to us. The hour for our evening meal has come
— let us sup."
Hans, the guide, occupied himself in preparing food. I
had come to that point when I could no longer eat. All I
cared about were the few drops of water which fell to my
share. What I suffered it is useless to record. The
guide's gourd, not quite half full, was all that was left for
us three! Having finished their repast, my two com-
panions laid themselves down upon their rugs, and found
in sleep a remedy for their fatigue and sufferings. As for
me, I could not sleep, I lay counting the hours until morning.
The next morning, Saturday, at six o'clock, we started
again. Twenty minutes later we suddenly came upon a
vast excavation. From its mighty extent I saw at once
78 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
that the hand of man could have had nothing to do with
this coal mine; the vault above would have fallen in; as
it was, it was only held together by some miracle of nature.
This mighty natural cavern was about a hundred feet wide,
by about a hundred and fifty high. The earth had evidently
been cast apart by some violent subterranean commotion.
The mass, giving way to some prodigious upheaving of
nature, had split in two, leaving the vast gap into which
we inhabitants of the earth had penetrated for the first
time.
The whole singular history of the coal period was writ-
ten on those dark and gloomy walls. A geologist would
have been able easily to follow the different phases of its
formation. The seams of coal were separated by strata
of sandstone, a compact clay, which appeared to be crushed
down by the weight from above.
While we still continued our journey, I forgot the length
of the road, by giving myself up wholly to these geological
considerations. The temperature continued to be very
much the same as while we were traveling amid the lava
and the schists. On the other hand my sense of smell was
much affected by a very powerful odor. I immediately
knew that the gallery was filled to overflowing with that
dangerous gas the miners call fire-damp, the explosion of
which has caused such fearful and terrible accidents, mak-
ing a hundred widows, and hundreds of orphans in a single
hour.
Happily, we were able to illume our progress by means
of the Ruhmkorff apparatus. If we had been so rash and
imprudent as to explore this gallery, torch in hand, a terrible
explosion would have put an end to our travels, simply be-
cause no travelers would be left.
Our excursion through this wondrous coal mine in the
very bowels of the earth lasted imtil evening. My uncle
was scarcely able to conceal his impatience and dissatisfac-
tion at the road continuing still to advance in a horizontal
direction. The darkness, dense and opaque, a few yards in
advance and in the rear, rendered it impossible to make out
what was the length of the gallery. For myself, I began to
believe that it was simply interminable, and would go on
in the same manner for months.
Suddenly, however, at six o'clock, we stood in front of a
THE COAL MINE 79
wall To the right, to the left, above, below, nowhere was
there any passage. We had reached a spot where the rocks
said in unmistakable accents — No Thoroughfare. I stood
stupefied. The guide simply folded his arms. My uncle
was silent.
"Well, well, so much the better," cried my uncle, at
last, " I now know what we are about. We are decidedly
not upon the road followed by Saknussemm. All we have
to do is to go back. Let us take one night's good rest, and
before three days are over, I promise you we shall have
regained the point where the galleries divided."
'* Yes, we may, if our strength lasts as long," I cried, in
a lamentable voice.
" And why not ? "
" To-morrow, among us three, there will not be a^. drop
of water. It is just gone."
" And your courage with it," said my uncle, speaking in
a severe tone.
What could I say ? I turned round on my side, and from
sheer exhaustion fell into a heavy but troubled sleep.
Dreams of water! And I awoke unrefreshed. I would
have bartered a diamond mine for a glass of pure spring
wafer !
CHAPTER XVIII
THE WRONG ROAD
Next day, our departure took place at a very early hour.
There was no time for the least delay. According to my
account, we had five days' hard work to get back to the
place where the galleries divided.
I can never tell all the sufferings we endured upon our
return. My uncle bore them like a man who has been in
the wrong — that is, with concentrated and suppressed
anger; Hans, with all the resignation of his pacific charac-
ter; and I — I confess that I did nothing but complain, and
despair. I had no heart for this bad fortune. But there
was one consolation. Defeat at the outset would probably
upset the whole journey f
As I had expected from the first, our supply of water
gave completely out on our first day's march. Our pro-
vision of liquids was reduced to our supply of schiedam;
8o TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
but this horrible — nay, I will say it — this infernal liquor
burnt the throat, and I could not even bear the sight of it.
I found the temperature to be stifling. I was paralyzed
with fatigue. More than once I was about to fall insensi-
ble to the ground. The whole party then halted, and the
worthy Icelander and my excellent uncle did their best to
console and comfort me. I could, however, plainly see that
my uncle was contending painfully against the extreme
fatigues of our journey, and the awful torture generated by
the absence of water. At length a time came when I ceased
to recollect anything — when all was one awful, hideous,
fantastic dream !
At last, on Tuesday, the eighth of the month of July,
after crawling on our hands and knees for many hours,
more dead than alive, we reached the point of junction
t)etween the galleries. I lay like a log, an inert mass of
human flesh on the arid lava soil. It was then ten in the
morning.
Hans and my uncle, leaning against the wall, tried to
nibble away at some pieces of biscuit, while deep groans
and sighs escaped from my scorched and swollen lips. Then
I fell off into a kind of deep lethargy. Presently I
felt my uncle approach, and lift me up tenderly in his arms.
" Poor boy," I heard him say in a tone of deep commis-
eration.
I was profoundly touched by these words, being by no
means accustomed to signs of womanly weakness in the
Professor. I caught his trembling hands in mine and gave
them a gentle pressure. He allowed me to do so without
resistance, looking at me kindly all the time. His eyes were
wet with tears. I then saw him take the gourd which he
wore at his side. To my surprise, or rather to my stupe-
faction, he placed it to my lips.
" Drink, my boy," he said.
Was it possible my ears had not deceived me? Was my
uncle mad? I looked at him, with, I am sure, quite an
idiotic expression. I would not understand him. I too
much feared the counteraction of disappointment
" Drink," he said again.
Had I hear aright? Before, however, I could ask myself
the question a second time, a mouthful of water cooled my
parched lips and throat— one mouthful, but I do believe
THE WRONG ROAD 8i
it brought me back to life. I thanked my unck by clasping
lily hands. My heart was too full to speak.
" Yes/* said he, *' one mouthful of water, the very last —
do you hear, my boy — ^the very last! I have taken care of
it at the bottom of my bottle as the apple of my eye.
Twenty times, a hundred times, I have resisted the fearful
desire to drink it But — ^no— no, Harry, I saved it for
you,"
" My dear uncle," I exclaimed, and the big tears rolled
down my hot and feverish cheeks.
" Yes, my poor boy, I knew that when you reached this
place, this cross road in the earth, you would fall down
half dead, and I saved my last drop of water in order to
restore you."
" Thanks," I cried ; " thanks from my heart."
As little as my thirst was really quenched, I had never-
theless partially recovered my strength. The contracted
muscles of my throat relaxed — and the inflammation of
my lips in some measure subsided. At all events, I was
able to speak. "Well," I said, "there can be no doubt
now as to what we have to do. Water has utterly failed us ;
our journey is therefore at an end. Let us return."
While I spoke thus, my uncle evidently avoided my face :
he held down his head ; his eyes were turned in every pos-
sible direction but the right one.
" Yes," I continued, getting excited by my own words,
"we must go back to Sneffels. May heaven give us
strength to enable us once more to revisit the light of day.
Would that we now stood on the summit of the crater."
"Go back," said my uncle speaking to himself — "and
must it be so ? "
"Go back — ^yes, and without losing a single moment,"
I vehemently cried.
For some moments there was silence under that dark
and gloomy vault. " So, my dear Harry," said the Profes-
sor in a very singular tone of voice, "those few drops
of water have not sufficed to restore your energy and
courage."
Courage f " I cried.
I see that you are quite as downcast as before — ^and still
give way to discouragement and despair.
What, then, was the man made of, and what other pro-
u
82 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
jects were entering his fertile and audacious brain ! ** You
are not discouraged, sir ? "
" What! give up just as we are on the verge of success,"
he cried, " never, never shall it be said that Professor Hard-
wigg retreated/'
" Then we must make up our minds to perish," I cried
with a helpless sigh.
" No, Harry, my boy, certainly not Go, leave me, I am
very far from desiring your death. Take Hans with you,
/ will go on alone/*
" You ask us to leave you ? "
"Leave me, I say. I have undertaken this dangerous
and perilous adventure. I will carry it to the end — or I
will never return to the surface of Mother Earth. Go —
Harry — once more I say to you-7--go ! "
My uncle as he spoke was terribly excited. His voice,
which before had been tender, almost womanly, became
harsh and menacing. He appeared to be struggling with
desperate energy against the impossible. I did not wish
to abandon him at the bottom of that abyss, while, on
the other hand, the instinct of preservation told me
to fly.
Meanwhile, our guide was looking on with profound
calmness and indifference. He appeared to be an uncon-
cerned party, and yet he perfectly well knew what was go-
ing on between us. Our gestures sufficiently indicated the
different roads each wished to follow — and which each tried
to influence the other to undertake. But Hans appeared
not to take the slightest interest in what was really a ques-
tion of life and death for us all, but waited quite ready to
obey the signal which should say go aloft, or to resume
his desperate journey into the interior of the earth.
How then I wished with all my heart and soul that I
could make him understand my words. My representa-
tions, my sighs and groans, the earnest accents in which I
should have spoken would have convinced that cold hard
nature. Those fearful dangers and perils of which the
stolid guide had no idea, I would have pointed them out to
him — I would have, as it were, made him see and feel.
Between us, we might have convinced the obstinate Profes-
sor. If the worst had come to the worst, we could have
compelled him to return to the summit of Sneffels. I ap-
THE WRONG ROAD 83
proached Hans. I caught his hand in mine. He never
moved a muscle. I indicated to him the road to the top
of the crater. He remained motionless. My panting
form, my haggard countenance, must have indicated the
extent of my sufferings. The Icelander gently shook his
head and pointed to my uncle. ^'Master'* he said.
" The master! " I cried, beside myself with fury — " mad-
man! no— I tell you he is not the master of our lives; we
must fly ! we must drag him with us ! do you hear me ? Do
you understand me, I say ? "
I have already explained that I held Hans by the arm.
I tried to make him rise from his seat. I struggled with
him and tried to force him away. My uncle now inter-
posed. " My good Henry, be calm," he said. " You will
obtain nothing from my devoted follower; therefore, listen
to what I have to say."
I folded my arms, as well as I could, and looked my
uncle full in the face.
"This wretched want of water," he said, "is the sole
obstacle to the success of my project. In the entire gallery,
composed of lava, schist, and coal, it is true we found not
one liquid molecule. It is quite possible that we may be
more fortunate in the western tunnel."
My sole reply was to shake my head with an air of in-
credulity.
" Listen to me to the end," said the Professor in his well
known lecturing voice. " While you lay yonder without
life or motion, I undertook a reconnoitering journey into
the conformation of this other gallery. I have discovered
that it goes directly downwards into the bowels of the
earth, and in a few hours will take us to the old granitic
formation. In this we shall undoubtedly find innumerable
springs. The nature of the rock makes this a mathemati-
cal certainty, and instinct agrees with logic to say that it
is so. Now, this is the serious proposition which I have to
make to you. When Christopher Columbus asked of his
men three days to discover the land of promise, his men
ill, terrified, and hopeless, yet gave him three days — and
the New World was discovered. Now I, the Christopher
Columbus of this subterranean region, only ask of you one
more day. If, when that time is expired, I have not found
the water of which we are in search, I swear to you, I will
84 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
give up my mighty enterprise and return to the earth's
surface."
Despite my irritation and despair, I knew how much it
cost my uncle to make this proposition, and to hold such
conciliatory language. Under the circumstances, what
could I do, but yield ?
" Well," I cried, " let it be as you wish, and may heaven
reward your superhuman energy. But as, unless we dis-
cover water, our hours are numbered, let us lose no time,
but go ahead."
CHAPTER XIX
THE WESTERN GALLERY — ^A NEWj ROUTE
Our descent was now resumed by means of the second
gallery. Hans took up his post in front as usual. We
had not gone more than a hundred yards when the Pro-
fessor carefuly examined the walls. *' This is the primitive
formation — ^we are on the right road— onwards is our
hope!"
When the whole earth got cool in the first hours of the
world's morning, the diminution of the volume of the earth
produced a state of dislocation in its upper crust, followed
by ruptures, crevasses and fissures. The passage iwas a
fiissure of this kind, through which, ages ago, had flowed
the eruptive granite. The thousand windings and turnings
formed an inextricable labyrinth through the ancient soil.
As we descended, successions of layers composing the primi-
tive soil appeared with the utmost fidelity of detail.
No mineralogists had ever found themselves placed in
such a marvelous position to study nature in all her real
and naked beauty. The sounding rod, a mere machine,
could not bring to the surface of the earth the objects of
value for the study of its internal structure, which we were
about to see with our own eyes, to touch with our own
hands. Remember that I am writing this after the journey.
Across the streak of the rocks, colored by beautiful
green tints, wound metallic threads of copper, of manga-
nese, with traces of platinum and gold. I could not help
gazing at these riches buried in the entrails of mother
earth, and of which no man would have the enjoyment to
A NEW ROUTE 85
the end of time ! These treasures — mighty and inexhaust-
ible, were buried in the morning of the earth's history, at
such awful depths, that no crowbar or pickax will ever drag
them from their tomb ! The light of our Ruhmkorf *s coil,
increased tenfold by the myriad of prismatic masses of rock,
sent their jets of fire in every direction, and I could fancy
myself traveling through a huge hollow diamond, the rays
of which produced myriads of extraordinary effects. To-
wards six o'clock, this festival of light began sensibly and
visibly to decrease, and soon almost ceased. The sides of
the gallery assumed a crystallized tint, with a somber hue;
white mica began to commingle more freely with feldspar
and quartz, to form what may be called the true rock — the
stone which is hard above all, that supports, without being
crushed, the four stories of the earth's soil. We were
walled by an immense prison of granite !
It was now eight o'clock, and still there was no sign of
water. The sufferings I endured were horrible. My uncle
now kept at the head of our little column. Nothing could
induce him to stop. I, meanwhile, had but one real
thought. My ear was keenly on the watch to catch the
sound of a spring. But no pleasant sound of falling water
fell upon my listening ear.
At last the time came when my limbs refused to longer
carry me. I contended heroically against the terrible tor-
tures I endured, because I did not wish to compel my uncle
to halt. To him I knew this would be the last fatal stroke.
Suddenly I felt a deadly faintness come over me. My eyes
could no longer see; my knees shook. I gave one despair-
ing cry — and fell !
"Help, help, I am dying!*'
My uncle turned and slowly retraced his steps. He
looked at me with folded arms, and then allowed one sen-
tence to escape, in hollow accents, from his lips — ^" All is
over.'*
The last thing I saw was a face fearfully distorted with
pain and sorrow ; and then my eyes closed.
When I again opened them, I saw my companions lying
near me, motionless, wrapped in their huge traveling rugs.
Were they asleep or dead? For myself, sleep was wholly
out of the question. My fainting fit over, I was wakeful
as the lark. I suffered too much for sleep to visit my eye-
86 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
lids — ^the more, that I thought myself sick unto death —
dying. The last words spoken by my uncle seemed to be
buzzing in my ears — all is over! It was probable that he
was right. In the state of prostration to which I was re-
duced, it was madness to think of ever again seeing the light
of day. Above were miles upon miles of the earth's crust
As I thought of it, I could fancy the whole weight
resting on my shoulders. I was crushed, annihilated ! and
exhausted myself in vain attempts to turn in my granite
bed.
Hours upon hours passed away. A! profound and ter-
rible silence reigned around us — a silence of the tomb.
Nothing could make itself heard through these gigantic
.walls of granite. The very thought was stupendous.
Presently, despite my apathy, despite the kind of deadly
calm into which I was cast, something aroused me. It
was a slight but peculiar noise. While I was watching
intently, I observed that the timnel was becoming dark.
Then gazing through the dim light that remained, I thought
I saw the Icelander taking his departure, lamp in hand.
Why had he acted thus? Did Hans the guide mean to
abandon us? My uncle lay fast asleep — or dead. I tried
to cry out, and arouse him. My voice, feebly issuing from
my parched and fevered lips, found no echo in that fearful
place. My throat was dry, my tongue stuck to the roof of
my mouth. The obscurity had by tifiis time become intense,
and at last even the faint sound of the guide's footsteps was
lost in the blank distance. My soul seemed filled with
anguish, and death appeared welcome, only let it come
quickly,
'* Hans is leaving us,'* I cried. " Hans — Hans, if you
are a man, come back.'*
These words were spoken to myself. They could not be
heard aloud. Moreover, a moment's reflection re-assured
me. Hans's departure could not be a flight. Instead of
ascending the gallery, he was going deeper down into the
gulf. Had he had any bad design, his. way would have
been upwards.
This reasoning calmed me a little and I began to hope !
The good, and peaceful, and imperturbable Hans would
certainly not have arisen from his sleep without some seri-
ous and grave motive. Was he bent on a voyage of dis-
A BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT 87
covery? During the deep, still silence of the night had he
at last heard that sweet murmur about which we were all
so anxious?
CHAPTER XX
WATER, WHERE IS IT? A BITTER DISAPPOINTMENX
During a long, long, weary hour, there crossed my
wildly delirious brain all sorts of reasons as to what could
have aroused our quiet and faithful guide. The most ab-
surd and ridiculous ideas passed through my head, each
more impossible than the other. I believe I was either
half or wholly mad. Suddenly, however, there arose, as it
were from the depths of the earth, a voice of comfort. It
was the sound of footsteps! Hans was returning. Pres-
ently the uncertain light began to shine upon the walls of
the passage, and then it came in view far down the sloping
timneL At length Hans himself appeared.
He approached my uncle, placed his hand upon his
shoulder, and gently awakened him. My tmcle, as soon
as he saw who it was, instantly rose. " Well ! " exclaimed
the Professor.
'' Fatten/' said the hunter.
I did not know a single word of the Danish language,
and yet by a sort of mysterious instinct I understood what
the guide had said.
" Water, water ! " I cried, in a wild and frantic tone,
clapping my hands, and gesticulating like a madman.
" Water! " murmured my uncle, in a voice of deep emo-
tion and gratitude. '' Hvarf ''
'' Nedat/'
"Where? below!" I imderstood every word. I had
caught the hunter by the hands, and I shook them heartily,
while he looked on with perfect calmness.
The preparations for our departure did not take long,
and we were soon making a rapid descent into the tunnel.
An hour later we had advanced a thousand yards, and
descended two thousand feet. At this moment I heard an
accustomed and well-known sound running along the floors
of the granite rock — a kind of dull and sullen roar, like
that of a distant waterfall.
88 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
During the first half-hour of our advance, not finding
the discovered spring, my feelings of intense suffering re-
turned. Once more I began to lose all hope. My uncle,
however, observing how down-hearted I was again becom-
ing, took up the conversation. " Hans was right," he ex-
claimed, enthusiastically; " that is the dull roaring of a tor-
rent"
" A torrent," I cried, delighted at even hearing the wel-
come words.
"There's not the slightest doubt about it," he replied,
" a subterranean river is flowing beside us."
I made no reply, but hastened on, once more animated
by hope. I did not even feel the deep fatigue which
hitherto had overpowered me. The very sound of this
glorious murmuring water already refreshed me. We
could hear it increasing in volume every moment The
torrent, which for a long time could be heard flowing over
our heads, now ran distinctly along the left wall, roaring,
rushing, spluttering, and still falling.
Several times I passed my hand across the rock hoping
to find some trace of humidity — of the slightest percolation.
Alas! in vain. Again a half hour passed in the same weary
toil. Again we advanced.
It now became evident that the hunter, during his absence,
had not been able to carry his researches any farther.
Guided by an instinct peculiar to the dwellers in mountain
regions and water finders, he "smelt" the living spring
through the rock. Still he had not seen the precious liquid.
He had neither quenched his own thirst nor brought us one
drop in his gourd.
Moreover, we soon made the disastrous discovery, that
if our progress continued, we should soon be moving away
from the torrent, the sound of which gradually diminished.
We turned back. Hans halted at the precise spot where
the sound of the torrent appeared nearest.
I could bear the suspense and suffering no longer, and
seated myself against the wall, behind which I could hear
the water seething and effervescing not two feet away. But
a solid wall of granite still separated us from it !
Hans looked keenly at me, and, strange enough, for
once I thought I saw a smile on his imperturbable face.
He rose from a stone on which he had been seated, and
A BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT 89
took up the lamp. I could not help rising and following.
He moved slowly along the firm and solid granite wall. I
watched him with mingled curiosity and eagerness. Pres-
ently he halted and placed his ear against the dry stone,
moving slowly along and listening with the most extreme
care and attention. I understood at once that he was
searching for the exact spot where the torrent's roar was
most plainly heard. This point he soon found in the lateral
wall on the left side, about three feet above the level of the
tunnel floor.
I was in a state of intense excitement. I scarcely dared
believe what the eider-duck hunter was about to do. It
was, however, impossible in a moment more not to both
imderstand and applaud, and even to smother him in my
embraces, when I saw him raise the heavy crowbar and
commence an attack upon the rock itself.
" Saved," I cried.
" Yes," cried my uncle, even more excited and delighted
than myself ; " Hans is quite right. Oh, the worthy, excel-
lent man I We should never have thought of such an idea."
And nobody else, I think, would have done so. Such
a process, simple as it seemed, would most certainly not
have entered our heads. Nothing could be more danger-
ous than to begin to work with pickaxes in that particular
part of the globe. Supposing while he was at work a
break-up were to take place, and supposing the torrent
once having gained an inch were to take an ell, and come
pouring bodily through the broken rock !
Not one of these dangers was chimerical. They were
only too reaL But at that moment no fear of falling in
of roof, or even of inundation was capable of stopping us.
Our thirst was so intense, that to quench it we would
have dug below the bed of old Ocean itself.
Hans went quietly to work — sl work which neither my
uncle nor I could have undertaken. Our impatience was so
great, that if we had once begun with pickax and crowbar,
the rock would soon have split into a hundred fragments.
The guide, on the contrary, calm, ready, moderate, wore
away the hard rock by little steady blows of his instrument,
making no attempt at a larger hole than about six inches.
As I stood, I heard, or I thought I heard, the roar of the
torrent momentarily increasing in loudness, and at times
90 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
I almost felt the pleasant sensation of water upon my
parched lips.
At the end of what appeared an age, Hans bad made a
hole, which enabled his crowbar to enter two feet into the
solid rock. He had been at work exactly an hour. It
appeared a dozen. I was getting wild with impatience.
My uncle began to think of using more violent measures.
I had the greatest difficulty in checking him. He had in-
deed just got hold of his crowbar when a loud and wel-
come hiss was heard. Then a stream, or rather a jet of
water burst through the wall and came put with such force
as to hit the opposite side I
Hans, the guide, who was half upset by the shock, was
scarcely able to keep down a cry of pain and grief. I
understood his meaning when plunging my hands into the
sparkling jet I myself gave a wild and frantic cry. The
water was scalding hot I " Boiling," I cried, in bitter dis-
appointment
"Well, never mind," said my uncle, "it will soon get
cool."
The tunnel began to be filled by clouds of vapor, while
a small stream ran away into the interior of the earth. In
a short time we had some sufficiently cool to drink. We
swallowed it in huge mouth fuls.
Oh what exalted delight — what rich and incomparable
luxury! What was this water, whence did it come? To
us what was that? The simple fact was — it was water;
and, though still with a tinge of warmtli about it, it brought
back to the heart, that life which, but for it, must surely
have faded away. I drank greedily, almost without tast-
ing it.
When, however, I had almost quenched my ravenous
thirst, I made a discovery, "WTiy, it is ferruginous
water."
"Most excellent stomachic," replied my uncle, "and
highly mineralized. Here is a journey worth twenty to
Spa."
" It's very good," I replied.
"I should think so. Water found six miles under
ground. There is a peculiarly inky flavor about it, which
is by no means disagreeable. Hans may congratulate him-
self on having made a rare discovery. What do you say.
A BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT 91
nephew, according to the usual custom of travelers, to
name the stream after him ? "
" Good," said I. And the name of " Hans-bach " was at
once agreed upon.
Hans was not a bit more proud after hearing our deter-
mination than he was before. After having taken a very
small modictmi of the welcome refreshment, fie had seated
himself in a corner with his usual imperturbable gravity.
" Now,'* said I, " it is not worth while letting this water
run to waste."
*' What is the use," replied my tmcle, " the source from
which this river rises is inexhaustible."
" Never mind," I continued, ** let us fill our goat skin and
gourds, and then try to stop the opening up."
My plan, after some hesitation, was followed or at-
tempted. Hans picked up all the broken pieces of granite
he had knocked out, and using some tow he happened to
have about him, tried to shut up the fissure he had made
in the wall. All he did was to scald his hands. The pres-
sure was too great, and all pur attempts were utter failures.
" It is evident," I remarked, ** that the upper surface of
these springs is situated at a very great height above — as
we may fairly infer from the great pressure of the jet"
" That is by no means doubtful," replied my uncle, " if
this column of water is about thirty-two thousand feet high,
the atmospheric pressure must be something enormous.
But a new idea has just struck me."
''And what is that?"
" Why be at so much trouble to close this aperture ? "
** Because — ^** I hesitated and stammered, having no
real reason.
'*When our water bottles are empty, we are not at all
sure that we shall be able to fill them," observed my uncle.
** I think that is very probable."
** Well, then, let this water run. It will, of course, natur-
ally follow in our track, and will serve to guide and re-
fresh us."
" I think the idea a good one," I cried, in reply, " and
with this rivulet as a companion, there is no further reason
why we should not succeed in our marvellous project."
" Ah, my boy," said the professor, laughing, " after all,
you arc coming roimd."
93 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
" More than that, I am now confident of ultimate suc-
cess. Forward."
" One moment, nephew mine. Let us begin by taking
some hours of repose."
I had utterly forgotten that it was night. The chronom-
eter, however, informed me of the fact. Soon we were
sufficiently restored and refreshed, and had all fallen into
a profound sleep.
CHAPTER XXI
UNDER THE OCEAN
By the next day we had nearly forgotten our past suf-
ferings. The first sensation I experienced was surprise
at not being thirsty, and I actually asked myself the rea-
son. The running stream, which flowed in rippling wave-
lets at my feet, was the satisfactory reply.
We breakfasted with a good appetite, and tlien drank
our fill of the excellent water. I felt myself quite a new
man, ready to go anywhere my imcle cliose to lead. I
began to think. Why should not a man as seriously con-
vinced as my uncle, succeed, with so excellent a guide as
worthy Hans, and so devoted a nephew as myself? Tliese
were the brilliant ideas which now invaded my brain.
Had the proposition now been made to go back to the
summit of Mount Sneffels, I should have declined tlie offer
in a most indignant manner. But fortunately there was
no question of going up. We were about to descend far-
ther into the interior of the earth. " Let us be moving,"
I crj^d, awakening the echoes of the old world.
We resumed our march on Thursday at eight o^clock in
the morning. The great granite tunnel went rotmd by
sinuous and winding ways, presenting every now and then
sharp turns, and in fact had all the appearance of a laby-
rinth. Its direction, however, was in general towards the
southwest My uncle made several pauses in order to
consult his compass. The gallery now began to trend
downwards in a horizontal direction, with about two inches
of fall in every furlong. The murmuring stream flowed
quietly at our feet. I could not but compare it to some
familiar spirit, guiding us through the earth, and I dabbled
UNDER tHE OCEAN 93
my fingers in its tepid water, which sang like S naiad as
we progressed My good humor began to assume a myth-
ological character.
As for my uncle he began to complain of the horizontal
character of the road. His route he found began to be
indefinitely prolonged, instead of " sliding down the celes-
tial ray," according to his expression.
But we had no choice; and as long as our road led
towards the center — however -little progress we made,
there was no reason to complain. Moreover, from time
to time the slopes were much greater; the naiad sang
more loudly, and we began to dip downwards in earnest.
I felt, however, no further painful sensation. I had not
got over the excitement of the discovery of water.
That day and the next we did a considerable amount
of horizontal, and relatively very little vertical, traveling.
On Friday evening, the tenth of July, according to our
estimation, we ought to have been thirty leagues to
the southeast of Reykjawik, and about two leagues and
a half deep. We now received a rather startling sur-
prise.
Under our feet there opened a horrible well. My unde
was so delighted that he actually clapped his hands — as
he saw how steep and sharp was the descent. " Ah, ahl "
he cried, in rapturous delight; "this will take us a long
way. Look at the projections of the rock. Hah!*' he
exclaimed, "it's a fearful staircase!'*
Hans, however, who in all our troubles had never given
up the ropes, took care so to dispose of them as to prevent
any accidents. Our descent then began. I dare not call
it a perilous descent, for I was already too familiar with
that sort of work to look upon it as anything but a very
ordinary affair. This well was a kind of narrow opening
in the massive granite of the kind known as a fissure. The
contraction of the terrestrial scaffolding, when it sud-
denly cooled, had been evidently the cause. If it had ever
served in former times as a kind of funnel through which
passed the eruptive masses vomited by Sneffels, I was at
a loss to explain how it had left no mark. We were, in
fact, descending a spiral, something like those winding
staircases in use in niodem houses.
We were compelled every quarter of an hour or there-
94 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
abouts to sit down in order to rest our legs. Our calves
ached. We then seated ourselves on some projecting
rock with our legs hanging over, and gossiped while we
ate a mouthful— drinking still from the pleasantly warm
running stream which had not deserted us.
It is scarcely necessary to say, that in this curiously
shaped fissure the Hansbach had become a cascade to the
detriment of its size. It was still, however, sufficient, and
more, for our wants. Besides we knew that, as soon as
the declivity ceased to be so abrupt, the stream must
resume its peaceful course. At this moment it reminded
me of my uncle, his impatience and rage, while when it
flowed more peacefully, I pictured to myself the placidity
of the Icelandic guide.
During the whole of two days, the sixth and seventh
of July, we followed the extraordinary spiral staircase of
the fissure, penetrating two leagues farther into the crust
of the earth, which placed us five leagues below the level
of the sea. On the eighth, however, at twelve o'clock in
the day, the fissure suddenly assumed a much more gentle
slope still trending in a southeast direction. The road
now became comparatively easy, and at the same time
dreadfully monotonous. It would have been difficult for
matters to have turned out otherwise. Our peculiar jour-
ney had no chance of being diversified by landscape and
scenery. At all events, such was then my idea.
At length, on Wednesday the fifteenth, we were actu-
ally seven leagues (twenty-one miles) below the surface
of the earth, and fifty leagues distant from the mountain
of Sneffels. Though, if the truth be told, we were very
tired, our health had resisted all suffering, and was in a
most satisfactory state. Our traveler's box of medica-
ments had not even been opened. My uncle was careful
to note every hour the indications of the compass, of the
manometer, and of the thermometer, all which he after-
wards published in his elaborate philosophical and scien-
tific account of our remarkable vo)rage. He was there-
fore able to give an exact relation of the situation. When,
therefore, he informed me that we were fifty leagues in
a horizontal direction distant from our starting-pointi X
could not suppress a loud exclamation.
"What is the matter now?" cried my tuide.
UNDER THE OCEAN 95
it
Nothing very important, only an idea has entered my
head/' was my reply.
" Well, out with it, my boy."
" It is my opinion that if your calculations are correct
we are no longer under Iceland."
"Do you think so?"
".We can very easily find out," I replied, pulling out
the map and compasses.
" You see," I said, after careful measurement, " that I
am not mistaken. We are far beyond Cape Portland;
and those fifty leagues to the southeast will take us into
the open sea."
"Under the open sea," cried my uncle, rubbing his
hands with a delighted air.
"Yes," I cried, "no doubt old ocean flows over our
heads."
"Well, my dear boy, what can be more natural. Do
you not know that in the neighborhood of Newcastle there
are coal mines which have been worked far out under
the sea ? "
Now my worthy uncle, the Professor, no doubt re-
garded this discovery as a very simple fact, but to me tlie
idea was by no means a pleasant one. And yet when one
came to think, the matter over seriously, what mattered it
whether the plains and mountains of Iceland were sus-
pended over our devoted heads, or the mighty billows of
the Atlantic Ocean? The whole question rested on the
solidity of the granite roof above us. However, I soon
got used to the idea, for the passage now level, now run-
ning down, and still always to the southeast, kept going
deeper and deeper into the profound abysses of Mother
Earth,
Thrjse days later, on the eighteenth day of July, on a
Saturday, we reached a kind of vast grotto. My uncle
here paid Hans his usual rix-doUars, and it was decided
that the next day should be a day of rest
CHAPTER XXII
SUNDAY BELOW GROUND
I AWOKE on Sunday morning without any sense of
hurry and bustle attendant on an immediate depaxture.
Though the day to be devoted to repose and reflection was
spent under such strange circiunstances, and in so wonder-
ful a place, the idea was a pleasant one. Besides, we all
began to get used to this kind of existence. I had almost
ceased to think of the sun, of the moon, of the stars, of
the trees, houses, and towns; in fact, about any terrestrial
necessities. In our peculiar position we were far above
such reflections.
The grotto was a vast and magnificent hall. !Along its
granitic soil the stream flowed placidly and pleasantly.
So great a distance was it now from its fiery source, that
its water was scarcely lukewarm, and could be drank with-
out delay or difficulty.
After a frugal breakfast, the Professor made up his
mind to devote some hours to putting his notes and calcu-
lations in order. " In the first place," he said, " I have a
good many to verify and prove, in order that we may
know our exact position. I wish to be able on our return
to the upper regions, to make a map of our journey, a
kind of vertical section of the globe, which will be as it
were the profiile of the expedition."
" That would indeed be a curious work, uncle ; but can
you make your observations with anything like certainty
and precision ? "
" I can. I have never on one occasion failed to note
^v^th great care the angles and slopes. I am certain as to
having made no mistake. Take the compass and examine
how she points."
I looked at the instrument with care. " East oloe-quar-
ter southeast."
" Very good," resumed the Professor, noting the ob-
' servation, and going through some rapid calculations. ** I
make out that we have journeyed two hundred and fifty
miles from the point of our departure."
" Then the mighty waves of the Atlantic are rolling
over our heads?"
" Certainly."
"And at this very moment it is possible that fierce
V. n Verne 96
SUNDAY BELOW GROUND 97
tempests are raging above, and that men and ships are
battling against the angry blasts just over our heads?"
"It is quite within the range of possibility/' rejoined
my uncle, smiling.
"And that whales are playing in shoals, thrashing the
bottom of the sea, the roof of our adamantine prison?"
" Be quite at rest on that point; there is no danger of
their breaking through. But to return to our calculations.
We are to the southeast, two hundred and fifty miles from
the base of Sneflfels, and, according to my preceding notes,
I think we have gone sixteen leagues in a downward direc-
tion."
" Sixteen leagues — ^fif ty miles ! " I cried.
" I am sure of it."
"But that is the extreme limit allowed by science for
the thickness of the earth's crust," I replied, referring to
my geological studies.
"I do not contravene that assertion," was his quiet an-
swer.
"And at this stage of our journey, according to all
known laws on the increase of heat, there should be here
a temperature of fifteen hundred degrees of Reaumur."
"There should be — ^you say, my boy."
" In which case this granite woidd not exist, but be in a
state of fusion."
" But you perceive, my boy, that it is not so, and that
facts, as usual, are very stubborn things, overruling all
theories."
" I am forced to yield to the evidence of my senses, but
I am nevertheless very much surprised."
"What heat does the thermometer really indicate?"
continued the philosopher.
" Twenty-seven six-tenths."
" So that science is wrong by fourteen hundred and
seventy-four degrees and four-tenths. According to
which, it is demonstrated that the proportional increase in
temperature is an exploded error. Humphrey Davy here
shines forth in all his glory. He is right, and I have acted
wisely to believe him. Have you any answer to make to
this statement? '*
Had I chosen to have spoken, I might have said a great
deal. I in no way admitted the theory of Hum^rey
98 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
Davy — I still held out ior the theory of proportional in-
crease of heat, though I did not feel it. I was far more
willing to allow that this chimney of an extinct volcano
was covered by lava of a kind refractory to heat — in
fact a bad conductor — which did not allow the great in-
crease of temperature to percolate through its sides. The
hot water jet supported my view of the matter.
But without entering on a long and useless discussion,
or seeking for new arguments to controvert my uncle, I
contented myself with taking up facts as they were.
" Well, sir, I take for granted that all your calculations are
correct, but allow me to draw from them a rigorous and
definite conclusion."
** Go on, my boy — ^have your say," cried my uncle, good-
humoredly.
" At the place where we now are, under the latitude of
Iceland, the terrestrial depth is about fifteen hundred and
eighty-three leagues."
Fifteen hundred, eighty-three ^nd a quarter."
Well, suppose we say sixteen hundred in round num-
bers. Now, out of a voyage of sixteen hundred leagues
we have completed sixteen."
" As you say, what then ? "
" At the expense of a diagonal journey of no less than
eighty-five leagues."
" Exactly."
" We have been twenty days about it."
** Exactly twenty days."
*' Now sixteen is the hundredth part of our contemplated
expedition. If we go on in this way we shall be two thou-
sand days, that is about five years and a half, going down."
The Professor folded his arms, listened, but did not
speak.
"Without counting that if a vertical descent of sixteen
leagues costs us a horizontal of eighty-five, we shall have
to go about eight thousand leagues to the southeast, and
we must therefore come out somewhere in the circumfer-
ence long before we can hope to reach the center."
" Bother your calculations," cried my uncle in one of his
old rages. "On what basis do they rest? How do you
know that this passage does not take us direct to the end
we require? Moreover, I have in my favor, fortunately.
ti
SUNDAY BELOW GROUND 99
a precedent. What I have undertaken to do, another has
done, and he having succeeded, why should I not be equally
successful?"
" I hope, indeed, you will, but still, I suppose I may be
allowed to- "
" You are allowed to hold your tongue," cried Professor
Hardwigg, " when you talk so unreasonably as this/*
I saw at once that the old doctorial Professor was still
alive in my uncle — ^and fearful to rouse his angry passions,
I dropped the unpleasant subject
"Now, then," he explained, "consult the manometer.
What does that indicate ? "
" A considerable amount of pressure."
" Very good. , You see, then, that by descending slowly,
and by gradually accustoming ourselves to the density of
this lower atmosphere, we shdl not suflfer.
" Well, I suppose not, except it may be a certain amount
of pain in the ears," was my rather grim reply.
" That, my dear boy, is nothing, and you will easily get
rid of that source of discomfort by bringing the exterior
air in communication with the air contained in your
lungs."
" Perfectly," said I, for I had quite made up my mind
in no wise to contradict my uncle. " I should fancy al-
most that I should experience a certain amount of satis-
faction in making a plunge into this dense atmosphere.
Have you taken note of how wonderfully sound is propa-
gated?"
"Of course I have. There can be no doubt that a
journey into the interior of the earth would be an excellent
cure for deafness."
" But then, uncle," I ventured mildly to observe, " this
density will continue to increase."
"Yes — according to a law which, however, is scarcely
defined. It is true that the intensity of weight will dimin-
ish just in proportion to the depth to which we go. You
know very well that it is on the surface of the earth that
its action is most powerfully felt, while on the contrary,
in the very center of the earth bodies cease to have any
weight at all."
" I know that is the case, but as we progress will not the
atmosphere finally assume the density of water?"
100 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
ft
I know it; when placed under the pressure of seven
hundred and ten atmospheres," cried my uncle with imper-
turbable gravity."
- "And when we are still lower down?" I asked with
natural anxiety."
" Well, lower down, the density will become even greater
still."
" Then how shall we be able to make our way through
this atmospheric fog ? "
" Well, my worthy nephew, we must ballast ourselves
by filling our pockets with stones," said Professor Hard-
wigg.
** Faith, uncle, you have an answer for everjrthing," was
my only reply. I began to feel that it was unwise in me
to go any farther into the wide field of hypotheses, for I
should certainly have revived some difficulty, or rather im-
possibility that would have enraged the Professor.
It was evident, nevertheless, that the air under a pres-
sure which might be multiplied by thousands of atmos-
pheres, would end by becoming perfectly solid, and that
then admitting our bodies resisted the pressure, we should
have to stop, in spite of all the reasonings in the world.
Facts overcome all arguments.
But I thought it best not to urge this argument. My
uncle would simply have quoted the example of Saknus-
semm. Supposing the learned Icelander's journey ever
really to have taken place — there was one simple answer
to be made : — In the sixteenth century neither the barome-
ter nor the manometer had been invented — how, then,
could Saknussemm have been able to discover when he
did reach the center of the earth? This unanswerable and
learned objection I, however, kept to myself, and bracing
up my courage awaited the course of events — ^little aware
of how adventurous yet were to be the incidents of our
remarkable journey.
The rest of this day of leisure and repose was spent in
calculation and conversation. I made it a point to agree
with the Professor in everything; but I envied the perfect
indifference of Hans, who without taking any such trouble
about the cause and effect, went blindly onwards wherever
destiny chose to lead.
CHAPTER XXIII
ALONE
It must in all truth be confessed, things ias yet had gone
on well, and I should have acted in bad taste to have com-
plained. If our difficulties did not increase, it was within
the range of possibility that we might ultimately reach
the end of our journey. Then what glory would be ours !
I began in the newly aroused ardor of my soul to speak
enthusiastically to the Professor. Was I serious? The
whole state in which we existed was a mystery — and it was
impossible to know whether or not I was in earnest.
For several days after our memorable halt, the slopes
became more rapid — ^some were even of a most frightful
character — ^almost vertical, so that we were for ever going
down into the solid interior mass. During some days, we
actually descended a league and a half, even two leagues
towards the center of the earth. The descents were suffi-
ciently perilous, and while we were engaged in them :we
learned fully to appreciate the marvelous coolness of our
guide, Hans. Without him we should have been wholly
lost The grave and impassible Icelander devoted him-
self to us with the most incomprehensible sang froid and
ease; and, thanks to him, many a dangerous pass was got
over, where, but for him, we should inevitably have stuck
fast
His silence increased every day. I think that we began
to be influenced by this peculiar trait in his character. It
is certain that the inanimate objects by which you are
surrounded have a direct action on the brain. It must be
that a man who shuts himself up between four walls must
lose the faculty of associating ideas and words. How
many persons condemned to the horrors of solitary con-
finement have gone mad — simply because the thinking fac-
ulties have lain dormant I
During the two weeks that followed our last interesting
conversation, there occurred nothing worthy of being espe-
cially recorded. I have, while writing these memoirs,
taxed my memory in vain for one incident of travel dur-
ing this particular period.
But the next event to be related is terrible indeed. Its
very memory, even now, makes my soul shudder, and my
blood run cold. It was on the seventh of August Our
101
I
I02 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
constant and successive descents had taken us quite thirty
leagues into the interior of the earth, that is to say that
4here were above us thirty leagues, nearly a hundred miles,
of rocks, and oceans, and continents, and towns, to say
n »lhing of living inhabitants. We were in a southeasterly
direction, about two hundred leagues from Iceland.
On that memorable day the tunnel had begun to assume
an almost horizontal course. I was on this occasion walk-
ing on in front My tmcle had charge of one of the
Ruhmkorf coils, I had possession of the other. By
n:2ans of its light I was busy examining the different
layers of granite. I was completely absorbed in my work.
Suddenly halting and turning round, I found that I was
alone!
"Well," thought I to myself, "I have certainly been
walking too fast— or else Hans and my uncle have stopped
to rest The best thing I can do is to go back and find
them. Luckily, there is very little ascent to tire me."
I accordingly rett-aced my steps, and while doing so,
walked for at least a quarter of an hour. Rather uneasy,
I paused and looked eagerly around. Not a living soul.
I called aloud. No reply. My voice was lost amid the
myriad cavernous echoes it aroused!
I began for the first time to feel seriously uneasy. A
cold shiver shook my whole body, and perspiration, chill
and terrible, biu-st upon my skin.
" I must be calm," I said, speaking aloud, as boys whis-
tle to drive away fear. "There can be no doubt that I
shall find my companions. There cannot be two roads.
It is certain that I was considerably ahead; all I have to
do is to go back."
Having come to this determination I ascended the tunnel
for at least half an hour, unable to decide if I had ever seen
certain landmarks before. Every now and then I paused
to discover if any loud appeal was made to me, well know-
ing that in that dense and intensified atmosphere I should
hear it a long way off. But no. The most extraordinary
silence reigned in this immense gallery. Only the echoes
of my own footsteps could be heard.
At last I stopped. I could scarcely realize the fact of
my isolation. I was quite willing to think that I had made
a mistake, but not that I was lost If I had made a mis-
ALONE 103
take, I might find my way: if lost — ^I shuddered to think
of it
'* Cotnt, come/' said I to mjrself, " since there is only
one road, and they must come by it, we shall at last meet.
All I have to do is still to go upwards. Perhaps, however,
not seeing me, and forgetting I was ahead, they may have
gone back in search of me. Still even in this case, if I
make haste, I shall get up to them. There can be no doubt
about the matter."
But as I spoke these last words aloud, it would have
been quite clear to any listener — ^had there been one — ^that
I was by no means convinced of the fact. Moreover,
in order to associate together these simple ideas and to
reunite them under the form of reasoning, required
some time. I could not all at once bring my brain to
think.
Then another dread doubt fell upon my souL After
all, was I ahead. Of cotu*se I was. Hans was no doubt
following behind, preceded by my uncle. I perfectly rec-
ollected his having stopped for a moment to strap his bag-
gage on his shoulder. I now remembered this trifling
detail. It was, I believed, just at that very moment that
I had determined to continue my route.
Again," thought I, reasoning as calmly as was possible,
there is another sure means of not losing my way, a
thread to guide me through tlie labyrinthine subter-
raneous retreat — one which I had forgotten — ^my faithful
river."
This course of reasoning roused my drooping spirits,
and I resolved to resume my journey without further de-
lay. No time was to be lost. It was at this moment that
I had reason to bless the thoughtfulness of my uncle, when
he refused to allow the eider hunter to close the orifices of
the hot spring — that small fissure in the great mass of
granite. This beneficent spring after having saved us from
thirst during so many days would now enable me to regain
the right road. Having come to this mental decision, I
made up my mind, before I started upwards, that ablution
would certainly do me a great deal of good.
I stopped to plunge my hands and forehead in the pleas-
ant water of the Hansbach stream, blessing its presence
as a certain consolation.
it
1
*
104 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
Conceive my horror and stupefaction!— I was treading a
hard, dusty, shingly road of granite. The stream on which
I reckoned had wholly disappeared!
CHAPTER XXIV
lost!
No words in any human language can depict my utter
despair. I was literally buried alive; with no other ex-
pectation before me but to die in all the slow horrible tor-
ture of hunger and thirst. Mechanically I crawled about,
feeling the dry and arid rock. Never to my fancy had I
ever felt an3rthing so dry.
But, I frantically asked myself, how had I lost the course
of the flowing stream? There could be no doubt it had
ceased to flow in the gallery in which I now was. Now I
began to understand the cause of the strange silence which
prevailed when last I tried if any appeal from my com-
panions might perchance reach my ear. •
It so happened tliat when I first took an imprudent step
in the wrong direction, I did not perceive the absence of
the all-important stream. It was now quite evident that
when we halted, another tunnel must have received the
waters of tlie little torrent, and that I had unconsciously
entered a different gallery. To what unknown depths had
my companions gone ? Where was I ?
How to get back! Clue or landmark there y^% abso-
lutely none! My feet left no signs on the granite and
shingle. My brain throbbed with agony as I tried to dis-
cover the solution of this terrible problem. My situation,
after all sophistry and reflection, had finally to be summed
up in three awful words — Lostl Lost ! ! LOST ! I !
Lost at a depth which, to my infinite understanding, ap-
peared to be immeasurable. These thirty leagues of the
crust of the earth weighed upon my shoulders like the globe
on the shoulders of Atlas. I felt myself crushed by the
awful weight It was indeed a position to drive the sanest
man to madness.
I tried to bring my thoughts back to the things of the
world so long forgotten. It was with the greatest difficulty
that I succeeded in doing so. Hamburg, the house on
LOSTl 105
the Konigstrasse, my dear cousin GretcHen — iall that world
which had before vanished like a shadow floated before my
now vivid imagination. There they were before me, but
how unreal. Under the influence of a terrible hallucination
I saw the whole incidents of our journey pass before me
like the scenes of a panorama. The ship and its inmates,
Iceland, M. Fridriksson, and tlie great summit of Moimt
Sneffels! I said to myself that if in my position, I re-
tained the most faint and shadowy outline of a hope it
would be a sure sign of approaching delirium. It were bet-
ter to give way wholly to despair I
In fact, if I reasoned with calmness and philosophy,
what human power was there in existence able to take me
back to the surface of the earth, and ready too, to split
asunder those huge and mighty vaults whidi stood above
my head? Who could enable me to find my road — ^and
regain my companions? Insensate folly and madness to
entertain even a shadow of hope I
"Oh, uncle!" was my despairing cry. This was the
only word of reproach which came to my lips; for I thor-
ou^ly understood how deeply and sorrowfully the worthy
Professor would regret my loss, and how in his turn he
would patiently seek for me.
When I at last began to resign myself to the fact that
no further aid was to be expected from man, and knowing
that I was utterly powerless to do anything for my own
salvation, I kneeled with earnest fervor and asked assistance
from Heaven. The remembrance of my innocent child-
hood, tlie memory of my mother, known only in my infancy,
came welling forth from my heart. I had recourse to
prayer. And little as I had right to be remembered by Him
whom I had forgotten in the hour of prosperity, and whom
I so tardily invoked, I prayed earnestly and sincerely.
This renewal of my youthful faith brought about a much
greater amount of calm, and I was enabled to concentrate
all my strength and intelligence on the terrible realities of
my unprecedented situation. I had about me that which
I had at first wholly forgotten — three days' provisions.
Moreover, my water bottle was quite full. Nevertheless,
the one thing which it was impossible to do was to remain
alone. Try to find my companions I must, at any price.
But which course should I take ? Should I go upwards, or
io6 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
again descend ? Doubtless it was right to retrace my steps
in an upward direction.
By doing this with care and coolness, I must reach the
point where I had turned away from the rippling stream.
I must find the fatal bifurcation or fork. Once at this
spot, once the river at my feet, I could, at all events, re-
gain the awful crater of Mount Sneffels. Why had I not
thought of this before? This, at last, was a reasonable
hope of safety. The most important thing, then, to be
done was to discover the bed of the Hansbach.
After a slight meal and a draught of water, I rose like
a giant refreshed. Leaning heavily on my pole, I began
the ascent of the gallery. The slope was very rapid and
rather difficult But I advanced hopefully and carefully,
like a man who at last is making his way out of a forest,
and knows there is only one road to follow.
During one whole hour nothing happened to check my
progress. As I advanced I tried to recollect the shape of
the tunnel — to recall to my memory certain projections of
rocks— to persuade myself that I had followed certain
winding routes before. But no one particular sign could I
bring to mind, and I was soon forced to allow that this gal-
lery would never take me back to the point at which I had
separated myself from my companions. It was absolutely
without issue — a mere blind alley in the earth.
The moment at length came when, facing the solid
rock, I knew my fate, and fell inanimate on the arid
floor !
To describe the horrible state of despair and fear into
which I then fell would now be vain and impossible. My
last hope, the courage which had sustained me, drooped
before the sight of this pitiless granite rock! Lost in a
vast labyrinth, the sinuosities of which spread in every di-
rection, without guide, clue or compass, it was a vain and
useless task to attempt flight. All that remained to me was
to lie down and die. To lie down and die the most cruel
and horrible of deaths!
In my state of mind, the idea came into my head that
one day perhaps, when my fossil bones were found, their
discovery so far below the level of the earth might give
rise to solemn and interesting scientific discussions. I tried
to cry aloud, but hoarse, hollow and inarticulate sounds
t
I
LOST ! 107
alone could make themselves heard through my parched
lips. I literally panted for breath.
In the midst of all these horrible sources of anguish and
despair, a new horror took possession of my soul. My
lamp, by falling down, had got out of order. I had no
means of repairing it Its light was already becoming
paler and paler, and soon would expire. With a strange
sense of resignation and despair, I watched the luminous
current in the coil getting less and less. A procession of
shadows moved flashing along the granite wall. I scarcely
dared to lower my eyelids, fearing to lose the last spark of
this fugutive light. Every instant it seemed to me that it
was about to vatiish and to leave me forever — in utter
darkness!
At last, one final trembling flame remained in the lamp ;
I followed it with all my power of vision; I gasped for
breath; I concentrated upon it all the power of my soul,
as upon the last scintillation of light I was ever destined
to see; and then I was to be lost forever in Cimmerian
and tenebrous shades.
A wild and plaintive cry escaped my lips. On earth
during the most profound and comparatively complete
darkness, light never allows a complete destruction and
extinction of its power. Light is so diflFuse, so subtle, that
it permeates everywhere, and whatever little may remain,
the retina of the eye will succeed in finding it. In this
place nothing — not the faintest ray of light. It mazed
me!
My head was now wholly lost I raised my arms, try-
ing the effects of the feeling in getting against the cold
stone wall. It was painful in the extreme. Madness
must have taken possession of me. I knew not what I
did. I began to run, to fly, rushing at haphazard in this
inextricable labyrinth, always going downwards, running
wildly underneath the terrestrial crust, like an inhabitant
of the subterranean furnaces, screaming, roaring, howling,
until bruised by the pointed rocks, falling and picking my-
self up all covered with blood, seeking madly to drink the
blood which dripped from my torn features, mad because
this blood trickled over my face, and watching always for
this horrid wall which ever presented to me the fearful
obstacle against which I could not dash my head.
io8 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
*
Where was I going? It was impossible to say. Several
hours passed in this way. After a long time, having ut-
terly exhausted my strength, I fell a heavy inert mass along
the side of the tunnel, and lost all consciousness of ex-
istence !
CHAPTER XXV
THE WHISPERING GALLERY
When at last I came' back to a sense of life and being,
my face was wet ; but wet as I soon knew with tears. How
long this state of insensibility lasted, it is quite impossible
for me now to say. I had no means left to me of taking
any account of time. Never since the creation of the
world, had such a solitude as mine existed. I was com-
pletely abandoned.
After my fall I had lost much blood. I had felt myself
flooded with the life-giving liquid. My first sensation
was perhaps a natural one. Why was I not dead? Be-
cause I was alive, there was something left to do. I tried
to make up my mind to think no longer. As far as I was
able, I drove away all ideas, and utterly overcome by pain
and grief, crouched against the granite wall.
I commenced to feel the fainting coming on again, with
the sensation that this was the last struggle before complete
annihilation, — ^when, on a sudden, a violent uproar reached
my ears. It had some resemblance to the prolonged rum-
bling voice of thunder, and I clearly distinguished sonorous
voices, lost one after the other, in the distant depths of the
Whence came this noise ? Again I listened with deep at-
tention. I was extremely anxious to hear if the strange
and inexplicable sound was likely to be renewed ! A whole
quarter of an hour elapsed in painful expectation. Deep
and solemn silence reigned in the tunnel. So still that I
could hear the beatings of my own heart ! I waited, waited,
waited with a strange kind of hopefulness.
Suddenly my ear, which leant accidentally iagainst the
wall, appeared to catch as it were the faintest echo of a
sound. I thought that I heard vague, incoherent and dis-
tant voices. I quivered all over with excitement and hope !
THE WHISPERING GALLERY 109
" It must be hallucination," I cried. " It cannot be! it is
not true I ''
But no! By listening more attentively, I really did
convince myself that what I heard was truly the sound of
human voices. To make any meaning out of the sound,
however, was beyond my power. I was too weak even to
hear distinctly. Still it was a positive fact that some one
was speaking. Of that I was quite certain.
There was a moment of fear. A dread fell upon my
soul that it might be my own words brought back to me
by a distant edio. Perhaps without knowing it, I might
have been crying aloud. I resolutely closed my lips, and
once more placed my ear to the huge granite wall. Yes,
for certain. It was in truth the sound of human voices.
I now by the exercise of great determination dragged
myself along the sides of the cavern, until I reached a
point where I could hear more distinctly. But though I
could detect the sound, I could only make out uncertain,
strange, and incomprehensible words. They reached my
ear as if they had been spoken in a low tone — murmured,
as it were, afar off. At last, I made out the word fbrlorad
repeated several times in a tone betokening great mental
anguish and sorrow.
What could this word mean, and who was speaking it?
It must be either my uncle or the guide Hans! If, there-
fore, I could hear them, they must surely be able to hear
me. " Help," I cried at the top of my voice ; *' help, I am
dying!"
I then listened with scarcely a breath; I panted for the
slightest sound in the darkness — ^a cry, a sigh, a question!
But silence reigned supreme. No answer came ! In /this
way some minutes passed. A whole flood of ideas flashed
through my mind. I began to fear that my voice weak-
ened by sickness and suffering could not reach my com-
panions who were in search of me.
" It must be them," I cried ; " what other men can by
possibility be buried a hundred miles below the level of
the earth ? " The mere supposition was preposterous. I
began, therefore, to listen again with the most breathless
attention. As I moved my ears along the side of the
place I was in, I found a mathematical point as it were,
where the voices appeared to attain their maximum of in-
no TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
tensity. The word fbrlorad again distinctly reached my
ear. Then came again that rolling noise like thunder which
had awakened me out of torpor.
" I begin to understand," I said to myself, after some
little time devoted to reflection ; " it is not through the solid
mass that the sound reaches my ears. The walls of my
cavernous retreat are of solid granite, and the most fearful
explosion would not make uproar enough to penetrate
them. The sound .must come along the gallery itself.
The place I was in must possess some peculiar acoustic
properties of its own."
Again I listened; and this time — ^yes, this time — I heard
my name distinctly pronounced : cast as it were into space.
It was my uncle the Professor who was speaking. He
was in conversation with the guide, and the word which
had so often reached my ears, forlorad, was a Danish ex-
pression.
Then I understood it all. In order to make myself
heard, I too must speak as it were along the side of the
gallery, which would carry the sound of my voice just as
the wire carries the electric fluid from point to point. But
there was no time to lose. If my companions were only to
remove a few feet from where they stood, the acoustic
effect would be over, my Whispering Gallery would be de-
stroyed. I again therefore crawled towards the wall, and
said as clearly and distinctly as I could — ^'^ Uncle Hard-
wigg."
I then awaited a reply.
Sound does not possess the property of traveling with
such extreme rapidity. Besides the density of the air at
that depth from light and motion, was very far from add-
ing to tihe rapidity of circulation. Several seconds elapsed,
which, to my excited imagination, appeared ages; and
these words reached my eager ears, and moved my wildly
beating heart — " Harry, my boy, is that you ? "
A short delay between question and answer.
" Yes— yes."
" Where are you ? "
"Lost!"
" And your lamp ? "
" Out."
" But the guiding stream ? "
THE WHISPERING GALLERY in
"Is lost!"
" Keep your courage, Harry. We will do our best."
" One moment, my uncle," I cried ; " I have no longer
strength to answer your questions. But — for heaven's
sake— do you — continue — to speak — to me ! "
Absolute silence, I felt, would be annihilation.
" Keep up your courage," said my uncle. " As you are
so weak do not speak. We have been searching for you
in all directions, both by going upwards and downwards
in the gallery. My dear boy, I had begun to give over all
hope — ^and you can never know what bitter tears of sorrow
and regret I have shed. At last, supposing you to be still
on the road beside the Hansbach we again descended,
firing oflf guns as signals. Now, however, tliat we have
found you, and that our voices reach each other, it may
be a long time before we actually meet. We are convers-
ing by means of some extraordinary acoustic arrangement
of the labyrinth. But do not despair, my dear boy. It
is something gained even to hear each other."
While he was speaking my brain was at work reflecting.
A certain undefined hope, vague and shapeless as yet,
made my heart beat wildly. In the first place, it was ab-
solutely necessary for me to know one thing. I once more
therefore leaned my head against the wall, which I almost
touched with my lips, and again spoke.
" Uncle."
" My boy," was his ready answer.
" It is of the utmost consequence that we shotdd know
how far we are asunder."
" That is not difficult."
" You have your chronometer at hand? " I asked.
" Certainly." ^
"Well, take it into your hand. Pronounce my name,
noting exactly the second at which you speak. I will
reply as soon as I hear your words — and you will then
note exactly the moment at which my reply reaches you."
" Very good ; and the time between my question and your
answer will be the time occupied by my voice in reaching
you."
"That is exactly what I mean, uncle," was my eager
reply.
"Are you ready?"
112 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
" Yes."
** Well, make ready, I am about to pronounce your
name," said the Professor.
I applied my ear close to the sides of the cavernous
gallery, and as soon as the word Harry reached my ear, I
turned round, and placing my lips to the wall, repeated
the sound.
" Forty seconds," said my uncle. " There has elapsed
forty seconds between the two words. The sound, there-
fore, takes twenty seconds to ascend. Now, allowing a
thousand and twenty feet for every second — we have
twenty thousand four hundred feet — ^ league and a half
and one-eighth."
These words fell on my soul like a kind of death-knell.
" A league and a-half," I muttered in a low and despairing
voice.
** It shall be got over, my boy," cried my uncle in a
cheery tone ; " depend on us."
" But do you know whether to ascend or descend ? " I
asked faintly enough.
" You have to descend, and I will tell you why. We
have reached a vast open space, a kind of bare cross road,
from which galleries diverge in every direction. That in
which you are now lying, must necessarily bring you to
this point, for it appears that all these mighty fissiu*es,
these fractures of the globe's interior radiate from the vast
cavern which we at this moment occupy. Rouse yourself,
then, have courage and continue your route. Walk if you
can, if not drag yourself along — slide, if nothing else is
possible. The slope must be rather rapid — ^and you will
find strong arms to receive you at the end of your journey.
Make a start, like a good fellow."
These words served to rouse some kind of courage in
my sinking frame. " Farewell for the present, good uncle,
I am about to take my departure. As soon as I start, our
voices will cease to commingle. Farewell, then, until we
meet again."
" Adieu, Harry — until we say Welcome." Such were
the last words which reached my anxious ears, before I
commenced my weary and almost hopeless journey.
This wonderful and surprising conversation which took
?lace through the vast mass of the earth's labyrinth, these
. II Veme
A SINGULAR FOREST
Page 121
THE WHISPERING GALLERY nj
words exchanged, the speakers being about five miles apart
—ended with hopeful and pleasant expressions. I breathed
one more prayer to Heaven, I sent up words of thanks-
giving — ^believing in my inmost heart that He had led me
to the only place where the voices of my friends could
reach my ears.
I accordingly rose to my feet I soon found, however,
that I could not walk; tiiat I must drag myself along.
The slope, as I expected, was very rs^id; but I allowed
myself to slip down.
Soon the rapidity of the descent began to assume fright-
ful proportions; and menaced a fearful fall. I clutched
at the sides; I grasped at projections of rocks; I threw
myself backwards. All in vain. My weakness was so
great I could do nothing to save myself.
Suddenly earth failed me. I was first launched into a
dark, and gloomy void. I then struck against the project-
ing asperities of a vertical gallery, a perfect well. My
head hounded against a pointed rock, and I lost all knowl-
edge of existence. As far as I was concerned, death had
claimed me for his own-
CHAPTER XXVI
A RAPID RECOVERY
When I returned to the consciousness of existence, I
found myself surrounded by a kind of semi-obscurity,
lying on some thick and soft coverlids. My uncle was
watdiing — ^his eyes fixed intently on my countenance, a
grave expression on his face; a tear in his eye. At the
first sigh which struggled from my bosom he took hold of
my hand. When he saw my tyes open and fix themselves
upon his, he uttered a loud cry of joy. '*He lives! he
lives!"
" Yes, my good uncle," I whispered.
'* My dear boy," continued the grim Professor, clasping
me to his heart, " you are saved ! "
I was deeply and unaffectedly touched by the tone in
which these words were uttered, and even more by Ae
kindly care which accompanied them. The Professor was
one of those men who must be severely tried in order to
114 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
induce any display of affection or gentle emotion. At
this moment our friend Hans, the guide, joined us. He
saw my hand in that of my uncle, and I venture to say,
that, taciturn as he was, his eyes beamed with lively satis-
faction. '' God dag/' he said.
" Good day, Hans, good day," I replied, in as hearty a
tone as I could assume, " and now, uncle, that we are to-
gether, tell me where we are. I have lost all idea of our
position, as of everything else."
" To-morrow, Harry, to-morrow," he replied. " To-day
you are far too weak. Your head is surrounded with
bandages and poultices that must not be touched. Sleep,
my boy, sleep, and to-morrow you will know all that you
require."
" But " I cried, " let me know what o'clock it is — ^what
day it is?"
" It is now eleven o'clock at night, and this is once more
Sunday. It is now the ninth of the month of August.
And I distinctly prohibit you from asking any more ques-
tions until the tenth of the same."
I was, if the truth were told, very weak indeed, and my
eyes soon closed involuntarily. I did require a good
night's rest, and I went off reflecting at the last moment
that my perilous adventure in the interior of the earth, in
total darkness, had lasted four days!
On the morning of the text day, at my awakening, I
began to look around me. My sleeping-place, made of all
our traveling bedding, was la a charming grotto, adorned
with magnificent stalagmites, glittering in all the colors of
the rainbow, the floor of soft and silvery sand. A dim ob-
scurity prevailed. No torch, no lamp was lighted, and yet
certain unexplained beams of light penetrated from without,
and made their way through the opening of the beautiful
grotto.
I, moreover, heard a vague and indefinite murmur, like
the ebb and flow of waves upon a strand, and sometimes I
verily believed I could hear the sighing of the wind. I
began to believe that, instead of being awake, I must be
dreaming. Surely my brain had not been affected by my
fall, and all that occurred during the last twenty- four hours
was not the frenzied visions of madness? And yet after
some reflection, a trial of my faculties, I came to the con-
A RAPID RECOVERY 115
elusion that I could not be mistaken. Eyes and ears coidd
not surely both deceive me.
It is a ray of the blessed daylight," I said to myself,
which has penetrated through some mighty fissure in the
rocks. But what is the meaning of this murmur of waves,
this unmistakable moaning of the salt sea billows? I can
hear, too, plainly enough, the whistling of the wind. But
can I be altogether mistaken? If my uncle, during my
illness, has but carried me back to the surface of the earth !
Has he, on my account, given up his wondrous expedition,
or in some strange manner has it come to an end ? "
I was puzzling my brain over these and other questions,
when the Professor joined me. " Good-day, Harry," he
cried in a joyous tone. " I fancy you are quite well."
" I am very much better," I replied, actually sitting up
in my bed.
" I knew that would be the end of it, as you slept both
soundly and tranquilly. Hans and I have each taken turn
to watch, and every hour we have seen visible signs of
amelioration."
" You must be right, uncle," was my reply, " for I feel
as if I could do justice to any meal you could put before
me. I am really hungry."
" You shall eat, my boy, you shall eat. The fever has
left you. Our excellent friend Hans has rubbed your
wounds and bruises, with I know not what ointment, of
which the Icelanders alone possess the secret. And they
have healed your bruises in the most marvelous manner.
Ah, he's a wise fellow, is Master Hans."
While he was speaking, my uncle was placing before
me several articles of food, which despite his earnest in-
junctions, I readily devoured. As soon as the first rage
of hunger was appeased, I overwhelmed him with questions,
to which he now no longer hesitated to give answers. I
then learned, for the first time, that my providential fall
had brought me to the bottom of an almost perpendicular
gallery. As I came down, amidst a perfect shower of
stones, the least of which falling on me would have crushed
me to death, they came to the conclusion thfit I had carried
with me an entire dislocated rock. Riding as it were on
this terrible chariot, I was cast headlong into my uncle's
arms. And into them I fell, insensible and covered with
ii6 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
blood. " It is indeed a mirade," was the Professor's final
remark, " that you were not killed a thousand times over.
But let us take care never to separate ; for surely we should
risk never meeting again."
"Let us take care never again to separate." These
words fell with a sort of chill upon my heart The jour-
ney, then, was not over. I looked at my uncle with siu--
prise and astonishment.
My uncle, after an instant's examination of my counte-
nance, said — "What is the matter, Harry?"
" I want to ask you a very serious question. You say
that I am all right in health? "
" Certainly you are."
" And all my limbs are sound and capable of new exer-
tion ? " I asked.
" Most undoubtedly."
"But what about my head?" was my next anxious
question.
" Well, your head, except that you have one or two con-
tusions, is exactly where it ought to be — on your shoulder,"
said my uncle, laughing.
" Well, my own opinion is that my head is not exactly
right. In fact, I believe myself slightly delirious."
" What makes you think so? "
" I will explain why I fancy I have lost my senses," I
cried, "have we not returned to the surface of mother
earth?"
" Certainly not"
" Then truly I must be mad, for do I not see the light
of day? do I not hear the whistling of the wind? and can
I not distinguish the wash of a great sea? "
"And that is all that makes you uneasy?" said my
uncle, with a smile.
" Can you explain ? "
" I will not make any attempt to explain ; for the whole
matter is utterly inexplicable. But you shall see and judge
for yourself. You will then find that geological science is
as yet in its infancy — ^and that we are doomed to enlighten
the world."
" Let us advance, then," I cried eagerly, no longer able
to restrain my curiosity.
," Wait ft moment, my dear Harry," he responded; " you
A RAPID RECOVERY 117
mast take precautions after your illness before going into
the open air."
"The open air?"
"Yes, my boy. I have to warn you that the wind is
rather violent — and I have no wish for you to expose
yourself without necessary precautions."
" But I beg to assure you that I am perfectly recovered
from my illness."
" Have just a little patience, my boy. 'A relapse would
be inconvenient to all parties. We have no time to lose —
as our approaching sea voyage may be of long duration."
" Sea voyage ? " I cried, more bewildered than ever.
" Yes. You must take another day's rest, and we shall
be ready to go on board by to-morrow," replied my uncle,
iwith a peculiar smile.
Go on board! The words utterly astonished me. Go
on board — what? and how? Had we come upon a river,
a lake, had we discovered some inland sea? Was a vessel
lying at anchor in some part of the interior of the earth ?
My curiosity was worked up to the very highest pitch.
My uncle made vain attempts to restrain me. When at
last, however, he discovered that my feverish impatience
would do more harm than good — and that the satisfaction
of my wishes could alone restore me to a calm state of
mind, he gave way.
I dressed myself rapidly — and then taking the precaution,
to please my uncle, of wrapping myself in one of the cover-
lets, I rushed out of the grotto.
CHAPTER XXVII
THE CENTRAL SEA
At first I saw absolutely nothing. My eyes, wholly
unused to the effulgence of light, could not bear the sudden
brightness; and I was compelled to close them. When I
was able to re-open them, I stood still, far more stupefied
than astonished. Not all the wildest effects of imagination
could have conjured up such a scene ! " The sea — tihe sea,"
I cried.
" Yes," replied my uncle, in a tone of pardonable pride ;
" The Central Sea. No future navigator will deny the
ii8 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
fact of my having discovered it; and hence of isurquiring a
right of giving it a name."
It was quite true. A vast, limitless expanse of water,
the end of a lake if not of an ocean, spread before us, un-
til it was lost in the distance. The shore, whicli was very
much indented, consisted of a beautiful soft golden sand,
mixed with small shells, the long deserted homes of some
of the creatures of a past age. The waves broke inces-
santly, and with a peculiarly sonorous murmur — ^to be
found in underground localities. A slight frothy flake
arose as the wind blew along the pellucid waters ; and many
a dash of spray was blown into my face. The mighty
superstructure of rock which rose above to an inconceivable
height, left only a narrow margin — ^but where we stood,
there was a long beach of strand. On all sides were capes
and promontories and enormous cliffs, partially worn by
the eternal breaking of the waves, tlirough countless ages!
'And as I gazed from side to side, the mighty rocks faded
in the distance like a fleecy film of cloud.
It was in reality an ocean, with all the usual character-
istics of an inland sea, only horribly wild— so rigid, gold
and savage.
One thing startled and puzzled me greatly. How was
it that I was able to look upon that vast sheet of water in-
stead of being plunged in utter darkness? The vast land-
scape before me was lit up like day. But there was wanting
the dazzling brilliancy, the splendid irradiation of the sun ;
the pale cold illumination of the moon; the brightness of
the stars. The illuminating power in this subterraneous
region, from its trembling and flickering character, its
dear dry whiteness, the very slight elevation of its tempera-
ture, its great superiority to that of the mopn, was evidently
electric; something in the nature of the aurora borealis,
only that its phenomena were constant, and able to light
up the whole of the ocean cavern.
The tremendous vault above our heads, the sity, so to
speak, appeared to be composed of a conglomeration of
nebulous vapors, in constant motion. I should originally
have supposed, that under such an atmospheric pressure as
must exist in that place, the evaporation of water could not
really take place; yet there were heavy and dense clouds
rolling along that mighty vault, partially concealing the
THE CENTRAL SEA 119
roof. Electric currents produced astonishing play of light
and shade in the distance, especially around the heavier
clouds. Deep shadows were cast beneath, and then sud-
denly, between two clouds, there would come a ray of un-
usual beauty, and remarkable intensity. Yet it was not
like the sun, for it gave no heat
The effect was sad and excruciatingly melancholy. In-
stead of a noble firmament of blue, studded with stars,
there was above me a heavy roof of granite, which seemed
to crush me. Gazing around, I began to think of the theory
of the English captain, who compared the earth to a vast
hollow sphere in the interior of which the air is retained
in a luminous state by means of atmospheric pressure,
while two stars, Pluto and Proserpine, circled there in
their mysterious orbits. After all, suppose the old fellow
was right I
In truth, we were imprisoned — ^bound as it were, in a
vast excavation. Its width it was impossible to make out ;
the shore, on either hand, widening rapidly until lost to
sight; while its length was equally uncertain. A haze on
the (fistant horizon bounded our view. As to its height
we could see that it must be many miles to the roof.
Looking upward, it was impossible to discover where the
stupendous roof began. The lowest of the clouds must
have been floating at an elevation of two thousand yards,
a height greater than that of terrestrial vapors, which dr-
cumstance was doubtless owing to the extreme density of
the air.
I use the word cavern in order to give an idea of the
place. I cannot describe its awful grandeur; human lan-
guage fails to convey an idea of its savage sublimityi
AVhether this singular vacuum had or had not been
caused by the sudden cooling of the earth when in a
state of fusion, I could not say. I had read of most
wonderful and gigantic caverns — but none in any way like
this.
The great grotto of Guachara, in Colombia, visited by
the learned Humboldt; the vast and partially explored
Mammoth Cave in Kentucky ; what were these holes in the
earth to that in which I stood in speechless admiration!
with its vapory clouds, its electric light, and the mighty
ocean slumbering in its bosom ! Imagination, not descrip-
I20 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
tion, can alone gnre an idea of the splendor and vastness
of tile cave.
I gazed at these marvels in profound silence. Words
were utterly wanting to indicate the sensations of wonder
I experienced. I seemed, as I stood upon that mysterious
shore, as if I were some wandering inhabitant of a distant
planet, present for the first time at the spectade of some
terrestrial phenomena belonging to another existence. To
give body and existence to such new sensations, would
have required the coinage of new words — ^and here my
feeble brain found itself wholly at fault I looked on, I
thought, I reflected, I admired, in a state of stupefaction
not aJtqg^ether tmmingled with fear!
The unexpected ^)ectacle restored some color to my
pallid cheeks. I seemed to be actually getting better tmder
the influence of this novelty. Moreover, the vivacity of
die dense atmosphere reanimated my body, by inflating my
lungs with unaccustomed oxygen.
It will be readily conceived that after an imprisonment
of forty-seven days, in a dark and miserable tunnel, it was
with infinite delight that I breathed this saline air. It was
Kke the genial, reviving influence of the salt sea waves.
My uncle had already got over the first surprise. With
the Latin poet Horace his idea was that —
** Not to admire, it all the art I know
To make man latppj and to keep him to.**
**Well,*' he said, after giving me time thoroughly to
appreciate the marvels of this imderground sea, " do you
feel 8tron|^ enough to walk up and down ? ''
** Certainly," was my ready answer, " nothing would give
me greater pleasure."
" Well, then, my boy," he said, " lean on my arm, and we
win stroll alon^ the beach."
I accepted his offer eagerly, and we b^;an to walk along
the shores of this extraordinary lake. To our left were
abrupt rocks, piled one upon the other, — ^ stupendous
titanic pile; down their sides leapt innumerable cascades,
which at last, becoming limpid and murmuring streams,
were lost in the waters of the lake. Light vapors, which
rose here and there, and floated in fleecy clouds from rock
to rock, indicated hot springs, which also poured their su-
perfluity into the vast reservoir at our feet.
'Among them I recognized our old and faithful stream,
THE CENTRAL SEA 121
the Hansbadi, which, lost in that wild basin, seemed as if
it had been flowing since the creation of the world,
" We shall miss our excellent friend," I remarked, with
a deep sigh.
" Bah I " said my uncle, testily, '* what matters it. That
or ianother, it is all the same."
I thought the remark ungrateful, and felt almost inclined
to say so; but I forbore. At this moment my attention
was attracted by an unexpected spectacle. After we had
gone about five hundred yards, we suddenly turned a steep
promontory, and found ourselves close to a lofty forest!
It consisted of straight trunks with tufted tops, in shape
like parasols. The air seemed to have no effect upon these
trees — which in spite of a tolerable breeze remained as still
and motionless as if they had been petrified.
I hastened forward. I could find no name for these
singular formations. Did they belong to the two thousand
and more known trees— or were we to make the discovery
of a new growth? When we at last reached the forest,
and stood beneath the trees, my surprise gave way to ad-
miration. In truth, I was simply in the presence of a very
ordinary product of the earth, of singular and gigantic
proportions. My uncle unhesitatingly called them by their
real names. " It is only," he said^ in his coolest manner,
" a forest of mushrooms."
On close examination I found that he was not mistaken.
Judge of the development attained by this product of
damp hot soils. I had heard that the lycoperdon giganteum
reaches nine feet in circumference, but here were white
mushrooms, nearly forty feet high, and with tops of
equal dimensions. They grew in countless thousands —
the light could not make its way through their massive
substance, and beneath them reigned a gloomy and mystic
darkness.
Still I wished to go forward. The cold in the shades of
this singular forest was intense. For nearly an hour we
wandered about in this darkness visible. • At length I left
the spot, and once more returned to the shores of the lake,
to light and comparative warmth.
The amazing vegetation of this subterraneous land was
not confined to gigantic mushrooms. New wonders
awaited us at -every step. We had not gone many hundred
yards, when we came upon a mighty group of other trees
122 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
with discolored leaves — ^the common humble trees of mother
earth, of an exorbitant and phenomenal size; mosses a hun-
dred feet high; flowering ferns as tall as pines; gigantic
grasses !
"Astonishing, magnificent, splendid!** cried my uncle;
"here we have before us the whole Flora of the second
period of the world, that of transition. Behold the humble
plants of our gardens, which in the first ages of the world
were mighty trees. Look around you, my dear Harry.
No botanist ever before gazed on such a sight ! '*
My uncle's enthusiasm, usually a little more than was re-
quired, was now excusable. " You are right, uncle," I
remarked. " Providence appears to have designed the
preservation in this vast and mysterious hot-house of ante-
diluvian plants, to prove the sagacity of learned men in
figuring them so marvelously on paper."
" Well said, my boy — ^very well said ; it is indeed a
mighty hot-house} — ^but you would also be within the
bounds of reason and common sense, if you also added — sl
vast menagerie."
I looked rather anxiously around. If the animals were
as exaggerated as the plants, tlie matter would certainly
be serious. " A menagerie ? "
"Doubtless. Look at the dust we are treading under
foot — ^behold the bones with which the whole soil of the
seashore is covered **
" Bones," I replied, " yes, certainly, the bones of ante-
diluvian animals." I stooped down as I spoke, and picked
up one or two singular remains, relics of a by-gone age.
It was easy to give a name to these gigantic bones, in some
instances as big as trunks of trees.
" Here is, clearly, the lower jaw-bone of a mastodon," I
cried, almost as warmly and enthusiastically as my uncle,
"here are the molars of the dinotherium ; here is a leg-^
bone which belonged to the megatherium. You are right,
uncle, it is indeed a menagerie ; for the mighty animals to
which these bones once belonged, have lived and died on
the shores of tliis subterranean sea, under the shadow of
these plants. Look, yonder are whole skeletons — and
yet "
" And yet, nephew ? " said my uncle, noticing that I sud-
denly came to a full stop.
THE CENTRAL SEA 123
" I do not understand the presence of such beasts in
granite caverns, however vast and prodigious/' was my
reply.
" Why not ? " said my tmde, with very much of his old
professional impatience.
" Because it is well known that animal life only existed
on earth during the secondary period, when the sedimen-
tary soil was formed by the alluviums, and thus replaced
the hot and burning rocks of the primitive age."
"I have listened to you earnestly and with patience,
Harry, and I have a simple and clear answer to your
objections: and that is, that this itself is a sedimentary
soil."
" How can that be at such enormous depth from the sur-
face of the earth?"
" The fact can be explained both simply and geologically.
At a certain period, the earth consisted only of an elastic
crust, liable to alternative upward and downward move-
ments in virtue of the law of attraction. It is very probable
that many a landslip took place in those days, and that large
portions of sedimentary soil were cast into huge and mighty
chasms."
"Quite possible," I dryly remarked. "But, uncle, if
these antediluvian animals formerly lived in these subter-
ranean regions, what more Hkely than that one of these
huge monsters may at this moment be concealed behind one
of yonder mighty rocks."
As I spoke, I looked keenly around, examining with care
every point of the horizon; but nothing alive appeared to
exist on these deserted shores.
I now felt rather fatigued, and told my uncle so. The
walk and excitement were too much for me in my weak
state. I therefore seated myself at the end of a promon-
tory, at the foot of which the waves broke in incessant rolls.
I looked round a bay formed by projections of vast granitic
rocks. At the extreme end was a little port protected by
huge pyramids of stones. A brig and three or four schoon-
ers might have lain there with -perfect ease. ,So natural
did it seem, that every minute my imagination induced me
to expect a vessel coming out under all sail and making
for the open sea under the influence of a warm southerly
breeze.
124 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
But the fantastic illusion never lasted more than a min-
ute. We were tlie only living creatures in this subterranean
world !
During certain periods there was an utter cessation of
wind, when a silence deeper, more terrible than the silence
of the desert fell upon these solitary and arid rocks — ^and
seemed to hang like a leaden weight upon the waters of
this singular ocean. I sought, amid the awful stillness, to
penetrate through the distant fog, to tear down the veil
which concealed the mysterious distance. What unspoken
words were murmured by my trembling lips — what ques-
tions did I wish to ask and did not! Where did this sea
end — ^to what did it lead? Should we ever be able to ex-
amine its distant shores?
But my uncle had no doubts about the matter. He was
convinced that our enterprise would in the end be success-
ful. For my part, I was in a state of painful indecision —
I desired to embark on the joiurney and to succeed, and still
I feared the result
After we had passed an hour or more in silent contem-
plation of the wondrous spectacle, we rose and went down
towards the bank on our way to the grotto, which I was
not sorry to gain. After a slight repast, I sought refuge
in slumber, and at length, after many and tedious strug-
gles, sleep came over my weary eyes.
CHAPTER XXVni
LAUNCHING THE RAFT
On the morning of the next day, to my great surprise, I
awoke completely restored. I thought a bath would be
delightful after my long illness and sufferings. So, soon
after rising, I went and plunged into the waters of this new
Mediterranean. The bath was cool, fresh and invigo-
rating.
I came back to breakfast with an excellent appetite.
Hans, our worthy guide, thoroughly understood how to
cook such eatables as we were able to provide; he had
both fire and water at discretion, so that he was enabled
slightly to vary the weary monotony of our ordinary re-
past. Our morning meal was like a capital English break-
LAUNCHING THE RAFT 125
fast, with coffee by way of a wind-up. And never had this
delicious beverage been so welcome and refreshing.
My uncle had sufficient regard for my st^te of health
not to interrupt me in the enjoyment of the meal, but he
was evidently delighted when I had finished. " Now
then," said he, "come with me. It is the height of
the tide, and I am anxious to study its curious phe-
nomena."
" What," I cried, rising in astonishment, " did you say
the tide, uncle ? "
" Certainly I did."
" You do not mean to say," I replied, in a tone of re-
spectful doubt, " that the influence of the sun and moon is
felt here below."
" And pray why not ? Are not all bodies influenced by
the law of universal attraction? Why should this vast
underground sea be exempt from the general law, tlie rule
of the universe? Besides, there is nothing like that which
is proved and demonstrated. Despite the great atmos-
pheric pressure down here, you will notice that this inland
sea rises and faHs with as much regularity as the Atlantic
itself."
As my uncle spoke, we reached the sandy shore, and
saw and heard the waves breaking monotonously on the
beach. They were evidently rising.
" This is truly the flood," I cried, looking at the water at
my feet.
" Yes, my excellent nephew," replied my uncle, rubbing
his hands with the gusto of a philosopher, " and you see
by these several streaks of foam, that the tide rises at least
ten or twelve feet."
"It is indeed marvelous."
" By no means," he responded ; " on the contrary, it is
quite natural."
" It may appear so in your eyes, my dear uncle," was
my reply, " but the whole phenomena of the place appear
to me to partake of the marvelous. It is almost impossible
to believe that which I see. Who in his wildest dreams
could have imagined that, beneath the crust of our earth,
there could exist a real ocean, with ebbing and flowing
tides, with its changes of winds, and even its storms. I for
one should have laughed the suggestion to scorn."
126 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
"But, Harry, my boy, why not?" inquired my uncle,
with a pitying smile, " is there any physical reason in oppo-
sition to it ? "
** Not if we give up the great theory of the central heat
of the earth. That point once granted, I certainly can see
no reason for doubting the existence of seas and other won-
ders, even countries, in the interior of the globe."
"That is so — but of course these varied countries are
uninhabited ? "
" Well, I grant that it is more likely than not : still, I
do not see why this sea should not have given shelter to
some species of tuiknown fish."
" Hitherto we have not discovered any, and the probabil-
ities are rather against our ever doing so," observed the
Professor.
I was losing my skepticism in the presence of these won-
ders. " Well, I am determined to solve the question. It
is my intention to try my luck with my fishing line and
hook."
" Certainly ; make the experiment," said my uncle,
pleased with my enthusiasm. " While we are about it, it
will certainly be only proper to discover all the secrets of
this extraordinary region."
" But, after all, where are we now? " I asked; " all this
time I have quite forgotten to ask you a question, which,
doubtless, your philosophical instruments have long since
answered."
" Well," replied the Professor, " examining the situation
from only one point of view, we are now distant three hun-
dred and fifty leagues from Iceland."
" So much ? " was my exclamation.
"I have gone over the matter several times, and am
sure not to have made a mistake of five hundred yards,"
replied my uncle positively.
"And as to the direction — ^are we still going to the
southeast?"
"Yes, with a western declination of nineteen degrees,
forty-two minutes, just as it is above. As for the inclina-
tion I have discovered a very curious fact."
"What may that be, uncle? Your information inter-
ests me."
" Why that the needle, instead of dipping towards the
LAUNCHING THE RAFT 127
pole as it does on earth, in the northern hemisphere, has
an upward tendency."
" This proves," I cried, " that the great point of mag-
netic attraction lies somewhere between the surface of the
earth and the spot we have succeeded in reaching."
" Exactly, my observant nephew," exclaimed my uncle,
elated and delighted, "and it is quite probable that if we
succeed in getting toward the polar regions — somewhere
near the seventy-third degree of latitude, where Sir James
Ross discovered the magnetic pole, we shall behold the
needle point directly upward. We have therefore discov-
ered that this great center of attraction is not situated at a
very great depth."
" Well," said I, rather surprised, " this discovery will
astonish experimental philosophers. It was never sus-
pected."
'* Science, great, mighty and in the end unerring," replied
my uncle dogmatically, " science has fallen into many er-
rors — errors which have been fortunate and useful rather
than otherwise, for they have been the stepping-stones to
truth."
After some further discussion, I turned to another mat-
ter. " Have you any idea of the depth we have reached? "
" We are now," continued the Professor, " exactly thirty-
five leagues — above a hundred miles — down into the inte-
rior of the earth."
" So," said I, after measuring the distance on the map,
"we are now beneath the Scottish Highlands, and have
over our heads the lofty Grampian hills."
" You are quite right," said the Professor, laughing, " it
sounds very alarming, the weight being heavy — ^but the
vault which supports this vast mass of earth and rock is
solid and safe — the mighty Architect of the Universe has
constructed it of solid materials. Man, even in his highest
flights of vivid and poetic imagination, never thought of
such things I What are the finest arches of our bridges,
what the vaulted roofs of our cathedrals, to that mighty
dome above us, and beneath which floats an ocean with its
storms and calms and tides ! "
" I admire it all as much as you can, uncle, and have
no fear that our granite sky will fall upon our heads.
But now that we have discussed matters of science and di^
128 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
covery, what are your future intentions? Are you not
thinking of getting back to the surface of our beautiful
earth ? " This was said more as a feeler than with any
hope of success.
" Go back, nephew," cried my uncle in a tone of alarm,
"you are not surely thinking of anything so absurd or
cowardly. No, my intention is to advance and continue
our journey. We have as yet been singularly fortunate,
and henceforth I hope we shall be more so."
" But," said I, " how are we to cross yonder liquid
plain?" -
" It is not my intention to leap into it head foremost, or
even to swim across it, like Leander over the Hellespont.
But as oceans are, after all, only great lakes, inasmuch as
they are surrounded by land, so does it stand to reason, that
this central sea is circumscribed by granite surroundings."
" Doubtless," was my natural reply.
" Well, then, do you not think that when once we reach
the other end, we shall find some means of continuing our
journey? "
" Probably, but what extent do you allow to this internal
ocean ? "
" I should fancy it to extend about forty or fifty leagues
— ^more or less."
" But even supposing this approximation to be a correct
one — what then ? " I asked.
" My dear boy, we have no time for further discussion.
We shall embark to-morrow."
I looked around with surprise and incredulity. I could
see nothing in the shape of boat or vessel. " What I " I
cried, " we are about to launch out upon an unknown sea;
and where, if I may ask, is the vessel to carry us? "
"Well, my dear boy, it will not be exactly what you
would call a vessel. For the present we must be content
with a good and solid raft."
" A raft," I cried, incredulously, " but down here a raft
is as impossible of construction as a vessel — ^and I am at a
loss to imagine "
" My good Harry — if you were to listen instead of talk-
ing so much, you would hear," said my uncle, waxing a lit-
tle impatient.
"I should hear?"
V. n Veme
LAUNCHING THE RAFT 129
"Yes — certain knocks witH the hammer, wHicH Hans is
now employing to make the raft. He has been at work
for many hours."
" But where has he found trees suitable for sucH a con-
struction ? "
" He fouAd the trees all ready to his hand. Come, and
you shall see our excellent guide at work."
More and more amazed at what I heard and saw, I fol-
lowed my uncle like one in a dream. After a walk of about
a quarter of an hour, I saw Hans at work on the other side
of the promonotory which formed our natural port. A
few minutes more and I was beside him. To my great
surprise, on the sandy shore lay a half-finished raft. It
was made from beams of a very peculiar wood, and a
great number of limbs, joints, boughs, and pieces lay about,
sufficient to have constructed a fleet of ships and boats.
I turned to my uncle, silent with astonishment and awe.
" Where did all this wood come from ? *' I cried ; " what
wood is it?"
"Well, there is pine-wood, fir, and the palms of the
northern regions, mineralized by the action of the sea,"
he replied, sententiously.
" Can it be possible ? "
"Yes," said the learned Professor, "what you see is
called fossil wood."
" But then," cried I, after reflecting for a moment, " like
the lignites, it must be as hard and as heavy as iron, and
therefore will certainly not float."
" Sometimes that is the case. Many of these woods
have become true anthracites, but others again, like those
you see before you, have only undergone one phase of
fossil transformation. But tliere is no proof Hke demon-
stration," added my uncle, picking one or two of these pre-
cious waifs and casting them into the sea.
The piece of wood, after having disappeared for a mo-
ment, came to the surface, and floated about with the oscil-
lation produced by wind and tide. " Are you convinced ? "
said my uncle, with a self-satisfied smile.
" I am convinced," I cried, " that what I see is in-
credible."
The fact was that my journey into the interior of the
earth was rapidly changing all preconceived notions, and
I30 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
day by day preparing me for the marvelous. I should not
have been surprised to have seen a fleet of native canoes
afloat upon that silent sea.
The very next evening, thanks to the industry and abil-
ity of Hans, the raft was finished. It was about ten feet
long and five feet wide. The beams bound together with
stout ropes, were solid and firm, and once launched by our
united efforts, the improvised vessel floated tranquilly upon
the waters of what the Professor had well named the Cen-
tral Sea,
CHAPTER XXIX
ON THE WATERS. — A RAFT VOYAGE
On the 13th of August we were up betimes. There
was no time to be lost. We now had to inaugurate a new
kind of locomotion, which would have the advantage of
being rapid and not fatiguing. A mast, made of two
pieces of wood fastened together, to give additional
strength, a yard made from another one, the sail a linen
sheet from our bed. We were fortunately in no want
of cordage, and the whole on trial appeared solid and
seaworthy.
At six o'clock in the morning, when the eager and en-
thusiastic Professor gave the signal to embark, the victuals,
the luggage, all our instruments, our weapons, and a goodly
supply of sweet water, which we had collected from springs
in thej*ocks, were placed on tlie raft Hans had, with
considerable ingenuity, contrived a rudder, which enabled
him to guide the floating apparatus with ease. He took
the tiller, as a matter of course. The worthy man was as
gMd a sailor as he was a guide and duck-hunter. I then
let go the painter which held us to the shore, the sail was
brought to the wind, and we made a rapid offing. Our
sea voyage had at length commenced; and once more we
were making for distant and unknown regions.
Just as we were about to leave the little port where the
raft had been constructed, my uncle, who was very strong
as to geographic nomenclature, wanted to give it a name,
and among others, suggested mine.
" Well,'' said I, " before you decide I have another to
propose."
A RAFT VOYAGE 131
"WeU; out with it."
" I should like to call it Gretchen. Port Gretchen will
sound very well on our future map."
" Well, then, Port Gretchen let it be," said the Pro-
fessor. Aiid thus it was that the memory of my dear
girl was attached to our adventurous and memorable ex-
pedition.
When we left the shore the wind was blowing from the
northward and eastward. We went directly before the
wind at a much greater speed than might have been ex-
pected from a raft The dense layers of atmosphere at
that depth had great propelling power and acted upon the
sail with considerable force. At the end of an hour, my
uncle, who had been taking careful observations, was en-
abled to judge of the rapidity with which we moved. It
was far beyond anything seen in the upper world.
" If," he said, " we continue to advance at our present
rate, we shall have traveled at least thirty leagues in
twenty-four hours. With a mere raft this is an almost
incredible velocity."
I certainly was surprised, and without making any reply
went forward upon the raft Already the northern shore
was fading away on the edge of the liorizon. The two
shores appeared to separate more and more, leaving a wide
and open space for our departure. Before me I could see
nothing but the vast and apparently limitless sea — ^upon
which we floated — ^the only living objects in sight
Huge and dark clouds cast their gray shadows below—
shadows which seemed to crush that colorless and sullen
water by their weight Anything more suggestive of
gloom and of regions of nether darkness I never beheld.
Silvery rays of electric light, reflected here and there uj^
some small spots of water, brought up luminous sparlSs
in the long wake of our cumbrous bark. Presently we
were wholly out of sight of land, not a vestige could be
seen, nor any indication of where we were going. So
still and motionless did we seem without any distant point
to fix our eyes on, that but for the phosphoric light at the
wake of the raft I should have fancied that we were still
and motionless.
But I knew that we were advancing at a very rapid rate.
About twelve o'ck)ck in the day, vast collections of sea-
132 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
weed were discovered surrounding us on all sides. I was
aware of the extraordinary vegetative power of these
plants, which have been known to creep along the bottom
of the great ocean, and stop the advance of large ships.
But never were seaweeds ever seen, so gigantic and won-
derful as those of the Central Sea. I codd well imagine
how, seen at a distance, tossing and heaving on the sum-
mit of the billows, the long lines of Algae have been taken
for living things, and thus have been the fertile sources
of the belief in sea serpents.
Our raft swept past great specimens of fucae or sea-
wrack, from tliree to four thousand feet in length, im-
mense, incredibly long, looking like snakes that stretched
out far beyond our horizon. It aflforded me great amuse-
ment to gaze on their variegated ribbon-like endless
lengths. Hour after hour passed without our coming to
the termination of these floating weeds. If my astonish-
ment increased, my patience was well-nigh exhausted.
What natural force could possibly have produced sucH
abnormal and extraordinary plants? What must have
been the aspect of the globe, during the first centuries of
its formation, when under the combined action of heat and
humidity, the vegetable kingdom occupied its vast surface
to the exclusion of everything else? These were consid-
erations of never-ending interest for the geologist and the
philosopher.
All this while we were advancing on our journey; and
at length night came; but as I had remarked the evening
before, the luminous state of the atmosphere was in noth-
ing diminished. Whatever was the cause, it was a phe-
nomenon upon the duration of which we could calculate
with certainty.
As soon as our supper had been disposed of, and some
little speculative conversation indulged in, I stretched my-
self at the foot of the mast and presently went to sleep.
Hans remained motionless at the tiller, allowing the raft
to rise and fall on the waves. The wind being aft, and
the sail square, all he had to do was to keep his oar in
the center.
Ever since we had taken our departure from the newly
named Port Gretchen, my worthy uncle had directed me
to keep a regular log of our day's navigation, with instruc-
A RAFT VOYAGE 133
tions to put down even the most minute particulars, every
interesting and curious phenomenon, the direction of the
wind, our rate of sailing, the distance we went ; in a word,
every incident of our extraordinary voyage. . From our
log, therefore, I tell the story of oiu* voyage on the Cen-
tral Sea.
Friday, August 14th. A steady breeze from the north-
west Raft progressing with extreme rapidity, and going
perfectly straight Coast still dimly visible about Siirty
miles to leeward. Nothing to be seen beyond the horizon
in front The extraordinary intensity of the light neither
increases nor diminishes. It is singularly stationary.
The weather remarkably fine; that is to say, the clouds
have ascended very high, and are light and fleecy, and sur-
rounded by an atmosphere resembling silver in fusion.
Thermometer + 32 degrees centigrade.
About twelve o'clock in the day our guide, Hans, having
prepared and baited a hook, cast his line into the subter-
ranean waters. The bait he used was a small piece of
meat, by means of which he concealed his hook. Anxious
as I was, I was for a long time doomed to disappointment.
Were these waters supplied with fish or not? That was
the important question. No— was my decided answer.
Then there came a sudden and rather hard tug. Hans
coolly drew it in, and with it a fish, which struggled vio-
lently to escape.
"A fish," cried my uncle, putting on his spectacles to
examine it
"It is a sturgeon I" I cried, "certainly a small stur-
geon/'
The Professor examined the fish carefully, noting every
characteristic ; and he did not coincide in my opinion. The
fish had a flat head, round body, and the lower extremities
covered with bony scales; its mouth was wholly without
teeth, the pectoral fins, which were highly developed,
sprouted direct from the body, which properly speaking
had no tail. The animal certainly belonged to the order
in which naturalists class the sturgeon, but it differed from
that fish in many essential particulars. My uncle, after
all, was not mistaken. After a long and patient examina-
tion, he said: "This fish, my dear boy, belongs to a
family which has been extinct for ages, and of which no
134 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
trace has ever been found on earth, except fossil remains
in the Devonian strata.*'
" You do not mean to say/* I cried, " that we have cap-
tured a live specimen of a fish belonging to the primitive
stock that existed before the deluge ? "
" We have,** said the Professor, who all this time was
continuing his observations, " and you may see by careful
examination that these fossil fish have no identity with
existing species. To hold in one's hand, therefore, a liv-
ing specimen of the order, is enough to make a naturalist
happy for life. Moreover this fish offers to our notice a
remarkable peculiarity, never known to exist in any other
fish but those which are the natives of subterranean waters,
wells, lakes, in caverns, and such like hidden pools.'*
" And what may that be ? **
" It is bUnd.**
" Blind ! ** I cried, much surprised.
" Not only blind," continued the Professor, " but abso-
lutely without organs of sight**
I now examined our discovery for myself. It was sin-
gular, to be sure, but it was really a fact This, however,
might be a solitary instance, I suggested. The hook was
baited again and once more thrown into the water. This
subterranean ocean must have been tolerably well supplied
with fish, for in two hours we took a large number of
similar fish. All, without exception, however, were blind.
This unexpected capture enabled us to renew our stock of
provisions in a very satisfactory way.
We were now convinced that this Subterranean Sea
contained only fish known to us as fossil specimens — ^and
fish and reptiles alike, were all the more perfect the far-
ther back they dated their origin. We began to hope that
we should find some of those Saurians which science has
succeeded in reconstructing from bits of bone or cartilage.
I took up the telescope and carefully examined the horizon
— ^looked over the whole sea; it was utterly and entirely
deserted. Doubtless we were still too near the coast.
After an examination of the ocean, I looked upward,
towards the strange and mysterious sky. Why should not
one of the birds, reconstructed by the immortal Cuvier,
flap his stupendous wings aloft in the dull strata of subter-
ranean air? It would, of course, find quite sufficient food
A RAFT VOYAGE 135
from the fish in the sea. I gazed for some time upon the
void above. It was as silent and as .deserted as the shores
we had but lately left
Nevertheless, though I could neither see nor discover
anything, my imagination carried me away into wild
hypotheses. I was in a kind of waking dream. I thought
I saw on the surface of the water those enormous ante-
diluvian turtles as big as floating islands. Upon those dull
and somber shores passed a spedral row of the manmiifers
of early days, the great Leptotherium found in the cavern-
ous hollow of the Brazilian hills, the Mesicotherium, a
native of the glacial regions of Siberia. Farther on, the
pachydermatous Lophrodon, that gigantic tapir, which
concealed itself behind rocks, ready to do battle for its
prey with the A'noplotherium, a singular animal partaking
of the nature of the rhinoceros, the horse, the hippopot-
amus and the cameL
I thought, such was the effect of my imagination, that I
saw this whole tribe of antediluvian creatures. I carried
myself back to far ages, long before man existed — when,
in fact, the earth was in too imperfect a state for him to
live upon it The whole panorama of the world's life
before the historic period, seemed to be bom over again,
and mine was the only human heart that beat in this un-
peopled world! There were no more seasons; there were
no more climates; the natural heat of the world increased
unceasingly, and neutralized that of the great radiant Sun.
Next, unrolled before me like a panorama, came the
great and wondrous series of terrestrial transformations.
Plants disappeared; the granitic rocks lost all trace of
solidity; the liquid state was suddenly substituted for that
which had before existed. This was caused by intense
heat acting on the organic matter of the earth. The
waters flowed over the whole surface of the globe; they
boiled; they were volatilized, or turned into vapor; a kind
of steam-cloud wrapped the whole earth, the globe itself
becoming at last nothing but one huge sphere of gas,
indescribable in color, between white heat and red, as big
and as brilliant as the sun.
What an extraordinary dream f Where would it finally
take me ? My feverish hand began to write down the mar-
velous details— details more like the imaginings of a luna-
/^^TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
tic than anything sober and reaL I had during this period
of hallucination forgotten everything — the Professor, the
guide, and the raft on which we were floating. My mind
was in a state of semi-oblivion.
" What is the matter, Harry ? " said my uncle, suddenly.
My eyes, which were wide opened like those of a som-
nambulist, were fixed upon him, but I did not see him, nor
could I clearly make out an3rthing around me.
" Take care, my boy," again cried my uncle, " you will
fall into the sea."
As he uttered these words, I felt myself seized on the
other side by the firm hand of our devoted guide. Had it
not been for the presence of mind of Hans, I must infalli-
bly have fallen into the waves and been drowned.
" Have you gone mad ? " cried my uncle, shaking me on
the other side.
" What — ^what is the matter ? " I said at last, coming
to myself.
" Are you ill, Henry ? " continued the Professor in an
anxious tone.
" No— no ; but I have had an extraordinary dream. It,
however, has passed away. All now seems well," I added,
looking around me with strangely puzzled eyes.
" All right," said my uncle; " a beautiful breeze, a splen-
did sea. We are going along at a rapid rate, and if I am
not out in my calculations we shall soon see land. I
shall not be sorry to exchange the narrow limits of our
raft for the mysterious strand of the Subterranean Ocean."
As my uncle uttered these words, I rose and carefully
scanned the horizon. But the line of water was still con-
founded with the lowering clouds that hung aloft, and in
the distance appeared to totich the edge of the water.
CHAPTER XXX
TERRIFIC SAURIAN COMBAT
Saturday, August 15. The sea still retains its uni-
form monotony. The same leaden hue, the same eternal
glare from above. No indication of land being in sight.
The horizon appears to retreat before us, more and more
as we advance.
/
TERRIFIC SAURIAN COMBAT 137
My head is still dull and heavy from the effects of my
extraordinary dream, which I cannot as yet banish from
my mind. The Professor, who has not dreamed, is, how-
ever, in one of his morose and unaccountable humors.
Spends his time in scanning the horizon, at every point of
the compass. His telescope is raised every moment to his
eyes, and when he finds nothing to give any clew to our
whereabouts, he assumes a Napoleonic attitude and walks
anxiously.
I remarked that my uncle, the Professor, had a strong
tendency to resume his old impatient character, and I
could not but make a note of this disagreeable circum-
stance. I saw clearly that it had required all the influence
of my danger and suffering, to extract from him one scin-
tillation of humane feeling. Now that I was quite recov-
ered, his original nature had conquered and obtained the
upper hand.
"You seem uneasy, uncle,'* said I, when for about the
hundredth time he put down his telescope and walked up
and down, muttering to himself.
No, I am not uneasy," he replied in a dry harsh tone,
by no means."
" Perhaps I should have said impatient," I replied, soft-
ening the force of my remark.
" Enough to make me so, I think."
" And yet we are advancing at a rate seldom attained by
a raft," I remarked.
" What matters that ? " cried my uncle. *' I am not
vexed at the rate we go at, but I am annoyed to find the
sea so much vaster than I expected."
I then recollected that the Professor, before our depar-
ttu'e, had estimated the length of this Subterranean Ocean,
as at most about fifty leagues. Now we had traveled at
least over thrice that distance without discovering any trace
of the distant shore. I began to understand my uncle's
anger.
" We are not going down," suddenly exclaimed the Pro-
fessor. "We are not progressing with our great discov-
eries. All this is utter loss of time. After all, I did
not come from home to undertake a party of pleasure.
This voyage on a raft over a pond annoys and wearies
it
me.
138 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
He called this advenhirous journey a party of pleasure,
and this great Inland Sea a pond! "But," argued I, "if
we have followed the route indicated by the great Saknus-
semm, we cannot be going far wrong/'
" * That is the question,' as the great, the immortal
Shakespeare, has it Are we following the route indicated
by that wondrous sage? Did Saknussemm ever fall in
with this great sheet of water? If he did, did he cross it?
I Jbegin to fear that the rivulet we adopted for a guide has
led us wrong."
" In any case, we can never regret having come thus far.
It is worth the whole journey to have enjoyed this mag-
nificent spectacle — ^it is something to have seen."
"I care nothing about seeing, nor about magnificent
spectacles. I came down into the interior of the earth
with an object, and that object I mean to attain. Don't
talk to me about admiring scenery, or any other sentimen-
tal trash."
After this I thought it well to hold my tongue, and allow
the Professor to bite his lips until the blood came, with-
out further remark.
At six o'clock in the evening, our matter-of-fact guide,
Hans, asked for his week's salary, and receiving his three
rix-doUars, put them carefully in his pocket. He was per-
fectly contented and satisfied.
Sunday, i6th August. Nothing new to record. The
same weather as before. The wind has a slight tendency
to freshen up, with signs of an approaching gale. When I
awoke, my first observation was in regard to the intensity
of the light. I keep on fearing, day after day, that the
extraordinary electric phenomenon should become first ob-
scured, and then go wholly out, leaving us in total darkness.
Nothing, however, of the kind occurs. The shadow of
the raft, its mast and sails, is clearly distinguished on the
surface of the water.
This wondrous sea is, after all, infinite in its extent It
must be quite as wide as the Mediterranean — or perhaps
even as the great Atlantic Ocean. Why, after all, should
it not be so? My unde has on more than one occasion,
tried deep sea soundings. He tied the cross of one of our
heaviest crowbars to the extremity of a cord, which he
allowed to run out to the extent of two hundred fathoms.
TERRIFIC SAURIAN COMBAT 139
We had the greatest difBctilty in hoisting in our novel kind
of lead.
When the crowbar was finally dragged on board, Hans
called my attention to some singular marks upon its sur-
face. The piece of iron looked as if it had been crushed
between two very hard substances. I looked at our worthy
guide with an inquiring glance. "Tander/' said he.
Of course I was at a loss to understand. I turned round
towards my imcle, absorbed in gloomy reflections. I had
little wish to disturb him from his reverie. I accordingly
turned once more toward our worthy Icelander. Hans
very quietly and significantly opened his mouth once or
twice, as if in the act of biting, and in this way made me
understand his meaning.
" Teeth ! *' cried I, with stupefaction, as I examined the
bar of iron with more attention.
Yes. There can be no doubt about the matter. The
indentations on the bar of iron are the marks of teeth!
What jaws must the oy/neT of such molars be possessed
of! Have we, then, come upon a monster of unknown
species, which still exists within the vast waste of waters
—a monster more voracious than a shark, more terrible
and bulky than the whale. I am unable to withdra^^ my
eyes from the bar of iron, actually half-crushed!
Is, then, my dream about to come true — a. dread land
terrible reality? All day my thoughts were bent upon
these speculations, and my imagination scarcely regained a
degree of calmness and power of reflection until after a
sleep of many hours. This day, as on other Sundays, we
observed as a day of rest and pious meditation.
Monday, August 17th. I have been trying to realize
from memory the particular instincts of those antediluvian
animals of the secondary period, which succeeding to the
mollusca, to the Crustacea, and to the fish, preceded the
appearance of the race of mammifers. The generation of
reptiles then reigned supreme upon the earth. These hide-
ous monsters ruled everything in the seas of the secondary
period, which formed the strata of which the Jura moun-
tains are composed. What a gigantic structure was theirs ;
what vast and prodigious strength they possessed! The
existing Saurians, which include all such reptiles as lizards,
crocodiles, and alligators, even the largest and most for-
140 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
midable of their class, are but feeble imitations of their
mighty sires, the animals of ages long ago. If there were
giants in the days of old, there were also gigantic animals.
I shuddered as I evolved from my mind the idea and
recollection of these awful monsters. No eye of man had
seen them in the flesh. They took their walks abroad upon
the face of the earth thousands of ages before man came
into existence, and their fossil bones, discovered in the
limestone, have allowed us to reconstruct them anatom-
ically, and thus to get some faint idea of their colossal
formation.
I recollect once seeing in the great Museum of Ham-
burg the skeleton of one of these wonderful Saurians. It
measured no less than thirty feet from the nose to the tail.
Am I, then, an inhabitant of the earth of the present day,
destined to find myself face to face with a representative
of this antediluvian family ? I can scarcely believe it pos-
sible; can hardly believe it true. And yet these marks of
powerful teeth upon the bar of iron ! can there be a doubt
from their shape that the bite is the bite of a crocodile?
My eyes stare wildly and with terror upon the subter-
ranean sea. Every moment I expect one of these monsters
to rise from its vast cavernous depths. I fancy that the
worthy Professor in some measure shares my notions, if
not my fears, for, after an attentive examination of the
crowbar, he cast his eyes rapidly over the mighty and mys-
terious ocean.
" What could possess him to leave the land," I thought,
" as if the depth of this water was of any importance to
us. No doubt he has disturbed some terrible monster in
his watery home, and perhaps we may pay dearly for our
temerity." Anxious to be prepared for the worst, I exam-
ined our weapons, and saw that they were in a fit state for
use. My uncle looked on at me and nodded his head ap-
provingly. He, too, had noticed what we had to fear.
Already the uplifting of the waters on the surface indi-
cates that something is in motion below. The danger ap-
proaches. It comes nearer and nearer. It behooves us
to be on the watch.
Tuesday, August i8. Evening came at last, the hour,
when the desire for sleep caused our eyelids to be heavT".
Night there is not, properly speaking, in this place, any
TERRIFIC SAURIAN COMBAT 141
more than there is in stunmer in tlie arctic regions. Hans,
however, is immovable at the rudder. When he snatches
a moment of rest I really cannot say. I took advantage
of his vigilance to take some little repose.
Two hours after, I was awakened from a heavy sleep
by an awful shock. The raft appeared to have struck upon
a sunken rock. It was lifted right out of the water by
some wondrous and mysterious power, and then started
off twenty fathoms distant
" Eh, what is it ? " cried my uncle, starting up, " are we
shipwrecked, or what ? "
Hans raised his hand and pointed to where, about two
hundred yards off, a huge black mass was moving up and
down. I looked with awe. My worst fears were realized.
" It is a colossal monster ! " I cried, clasping my hands.
"Yes," cried the agitated Professor, ** there yonder is
a huge sea lizard of terrible size and shape."
"And farther on behold a prodigious crocodile. Look
at his hideous jaws, and that row of monstrous teeth.
Ha ! he has gone."
"A whale! a whale!" shouted the Professor, "I can
see her enormous fins. See, see, how she blows air and
water I "
Two liquid columns rose to a vast height above the
level of the sea, into which they fell with a terrific crash,
waking up the echoes of that awful place. We stood still
' — surprised, stupefied, terror-stricken at the sight of what
seemed a group of fearful marine monsters, more hideous
in the reality than in my dream. They were of super-
natural dimensions; the very smallest of the whole party
could with ease have crushed our raft and ourselves with
a single bite.
Hans, seizing the rudder which had flown out of his
hand, puts it hard a-weather in order to escape from such
dangerous vicinity; but no sooner does he do so, than he
finds he is flying from Scylla to Charybdis. To leeward
is a turtle about forty feet wide, and a serpent quite as
long, with an enormous and hideous head peering from
out the waters. Look which way we will, it is impossible
for us to fly. The fearful reptiles advanced upon us ; they
turned and twisted about the raft with awful rapidity.
They formed around our devoted vessel a series of con-
142 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
centric circles. I took up my rifle in desperation. But
what effect can a rifle-ball produce upon the armor scales
with which the bodies of these horrid monsters are covered?
We remain still and dumb from utter horror. They
advance upon us, nearer and nearer. Our fate appears
certain, fearful and terrible. On one side the mighty
crocodile, on the other the great sea serpent The rest
of the fearful crowd of marine prodigies have plunged
beneath the briny waves and disappeared!
I was about at all risks to fire, and try the effect of a
shot. Hans, the guide, however, interfered by a sign to
check me. The two hideous and ravenous monsters passed
within fifty fathoms of the raft, and then made a rush at
one another — their fury and rage preventing them from
seeing us.
The combat commenced. We distinctly made out every
action of the two hideous monsters. To my excited imag-
ination the other animals appeared about to take part in
the fierce and deadly struggle — the monster, the whale,
the lizard, and the turtle. I distinctly saw them every mo-
ment I pointed them out to the Icelander. But he only
shook his head. " Tva," he said.
" What — two only does he say. Surely he is mistaken,"
I cried, in a tone of wonder.
" He is quite right," replied my uncle coolly and philo-
sophically, examining the terrible duel with his telescope
and speaking as if he were in a lecture room.
"How can that be?"
" Yes, it is so. The first of these hideous monsters has
the snout of a porpoise, the head of a lizard, the teeth of
a crocodile; and it is this that has deceived us. It is the
most fearful of all antediluvian reptiles, tlie world-re-
nowned Ichthyosaurus or Great Fish Lizard."
"And the other?"
" The other is a monstrous serpent, concealed under the
hard vaulted shell of the turtle, the terrible enemy pf its
fearful rival, the Plesiosaurus, or Sea Crocodile."
Hans was quite right. The two monsters only, dis-
turbed the surface of the sea! At last have mortal eyes
gazed upon two reptiles of the great primitive ocean! I
saw the flaming red eyes of the Ichthyosaurus, each as big,
or bigger than a man's head. Nature in its infinite wis-
TERRIFIC SAURIAN COMBAT 143
dom had gifted this wondrous marine animal with an opti-
cal apparatus of extreme power, capable of resisting the
pressure of the heavy layers of water which rolled over
him in the depth of the ocean where he usually fed. It
has by some authors truly been called the whale of the
Saurian race, for it is as big and quick in its motions as
our king of the seas. This one measured not less than a
hundred feet in length, and I could form some idea of his
girth, when I saw him lift his prodigious tail out of the
waters. His jaw is of awful size and strength, and ac-
cording to the best-informed nattu^sts, it does not con-
tain less than a hundred and eighty-two teeth.
The other was the mighty Plesiosaurus, a serpent with
a cylindrical trunk, with a shorty stumpy tail, with fins
like a bank of oars in a Roman galley. Its whole body
was covered by a carapace or shell ; and its neck, as flexible
as that of a swan, rose more than thirty feet above the
waves, a tower of animated flesh !
These animals attacked one another with inconceivable
fury. Such a combat was never seen before by mortal
eyes, and to us who did see it, it appeared more like the
phantasmagoric creation of a dream than anything else.
They raised mountains of water, which dashed in spray
over the raft, already tossed to and fro by the waves.
Twenty times we seemed on the point of being upset and
hurled headlong into the waves. Hideous hisses appeared
to shake the gloomy granite roof of that mighty cavern —
hisses which carried terror to our hearts. The awful com-
batants held each other in a tight embrace. I could not
make out one from the other. Still the combat could not
last for ever; and woe unto us, whichsoever became the
victor.
One hour, two hours, three hours passed away, without
any decisive result The struggle continued with the same
deadly tenacity, but without apparent result The deadly
opponents now approached, now drew away from the raft.
Once or twice we fancied they were about to leave us alto-
gether, but instead of that, they came nearer and nearer.
We crouched on the raft ready to fire at them at a mo-
ment's notice, poor as the prospect of hurting or terrify-
ing them was. Still we were determined not to perish
without a struggle.
144 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
Suddenly the Ichthyosaurus and the Plesiosaurus dis-
appeared beneath the waves, leaving behind them a mael-
strom in the midst of the sea. We were very nearly drawn
down by the indraught of the water 1
Several minutes elapsed before anything was again seen.
Was this wonderful combat to end in the depths of the
ocean? Was the last act of this terrible drama to take
place without spectators ? It was impossible for us to say.
Suddenly, at no great distance from us, an enormous
mass rose out of the waters — ^the head of the great Plesi-
osaurus. The terrible monster was wounded unto death.
I could see nothing of his enormous body. All that could
be distinguished was his serpent-like neck, which he
twisted and curled in all the agonies of death. Now he
struck the waters with it as if it had been a gigantic whip,
and then again wriggled like a worm cut in two. The
water was spurted up to a great distance in all directions.
A great portion of it swept over our raft and nearly
blinded us. But soon the end of the beast approached
nearer and nearer; his movements slackened visibly; his
contortions almost ceased; and at last the body of the
mighty snake lay an inert, dead mass on the surface of
the now calm and placid waters.
As for the Ichthyosaurus, has he gone down to his
mighty cavern under the sea to rest, or will he reappear
to destroy us? This question remained unanswered.
And we had breathing time.
CHAPTER XXXI
THE SEA MONSTER
Wednesday, August 19. Forttmately the wind, which
at the present blows with great violence, allowed us to
escape from the scene of the unparalleled and extraordi-
nary struggle. Hans with his usual imperturbable calm
remained at the helm. My uncle, who for a short time
had been withdrawn from his absorbing reverie by the
novel incidents of this sea-fight, fell back again apparently
into a brown study. All this time, however, his eyes were
fixed impatiently on the wide-spread ocean.
Our voyage now became monotonous and uniform. Dull
V. II Vera©
THE SEA MONSTER 145
as it has become, I have no desire to have it broken by
any repetition of the perils and adventures of yesterday.
Thursday, August 20. The wind is now N. N. K, and
blows very irregularly. It has changed to fitful gusts.
The temperature is exceedingly high. We are now pro-
gressing at the average rate of about ten miles and a half
per hour. About twelve o'clock a distant sound as of
thunder fell upon our ears. I make a note of the fact with-
out even venturing a suggestion as to its cause. It was one
continuous roar as of a sea falling over mighty rocks.
" Far off in the distance," said the Professor dogmatic-
ally, " there is some rock or some island against which the
sea, lashed to fury by the wind, is breaking violently."
Hans, without saying a word, clambered to the top of
the mast, but could make out nothing. The ocean was
level in every direction as far as the eye could reach.
Three hours passed away without any sign to indicate
what might be before us. The sound began to assume that
of a mighty cataract I expressed my opinion on this point
strongly to my uncle. He merely shook his head. Are
we advancing towards some mighty waterfall which shall
cast us into the abyss? Probably this mode of descending
into the abyss may be agreeable to the Professor, because it
would be something like the vertical descent he is so eager
to make. I entertain a very different view. Whatever be
the truth, it is certain that not many leagues distant there
must be some very extraordinary phenomenon, for as we
advance the roar becomes something mighty and stupend-
ous. Is it in the water, or in the air?
I cast hasty glances aloft at the suspended vapors, and
I seek to penetrate their mighty depths. But the vault
above is tranquil. The clouds, which are now elevated to
the very summit, appear utterly still and motionless, and
completely lost in the irradiation of electric light It is
necessary, therefore, to seek for the cause of this phenom-
enon elsewhere.
I examine the horizon, now perfectly calm, pure and
free from all haze. Its aspect still remains unchanged.
But if this awful noise proceeds from a cataract — ^if, so to
speak in plain English, this vast interior ocean is precipi-
tated into a lower basin — if these tremendous roars are
produced by the noise of falling waters, the current would
146 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
increase in activity, and its increasing swiftness would give
me some idea of the extent of the peril with which we are
menaced. I consult the current. It simply does not exist :
there is no such thing. An empty bottle cast into the
water lies to leeward without motion.
About four o'clock Hans rises, clambers up the mast
and reaches the truck itself. From this elevated position
his looks are cast around. They take in a vast circumfer-
ence of the ocean. At last, his eyes remain fixed. His
face expresses no astonishment, but his eyes slightly dilate.
" He has seen something at last," cried my uncle.
" I think so," I replied.
Hans came down, stood beside us and pointed with his
right hand to the south. " Der nere," he said.
" There," replied my uncle. And seizing his telescope he
looked at it with great attention for about a minute, which
to me appeared an age. I knew not what to think or expect
" Yes, yes," he cried in a tone of considerable surprise.
" there it is."
"What?" I asked.
" A tremendous spurt of water rising out of the waves."
" Some other marine monster," I cried, already alarmed.
" Perhaps."
" Then let us steer more to the westward, for we know
what we have to expect from antediluvian animals," was
my eager reply.
" Go ahead," said my uncle.
I turned towards Hans. Hans was at the tiller steering
with his usual imperturbable calm. Nevertheless, if from
the distance which separated us from this creature, a dis-
tance which must be estimated at not less than a dozen
leagues, and this spurting of water proceeded from the
pranks of some antediluvian animal, his dimensions must
be something preternatural. To fly is, therefore, the course
to be suggested by ordinary prudence. But we have not
come into that part of the world to be prudent. Such is my
uncle's determination.
We, accordingly, continued to advance. The nearer we
come, the loftier is the spouting water. What monster can
fill himself with such huge volumes of water, and then un-
ceasingly spout them out in such lofty jets?
At eight o'clock in the evening, reckoning as above
THE SEA MONSTER 147
ground, where there is day and night, we are not more
than two leagues from the mighty beast Its long, black,
enormous, moimtainous body, lies on the top of the water
like an island. But then sailors have been said to have
gone ashore on sleeping whales, mistaking them for land.
Is it illusion, or is it fear? Its length cannot be less than
a thousand fathoms. What, then, is this cetaceous mon-
ster of which no Cuvier ever thought ? It is quite motion-
less and presents the appearance of sleep. The sea seems
unable to lift him upwards; it is rather the waves which
break on his huge and gigantic frame. The water-spout,
rising to a height of five hundred feet, breaks in spray with
a dull, sullen roar. We advance, like senseless lunatics, to-
wards this mighty mass.
I honestly confess that I was abjectly afraid. I declared
that I would go no farther. I threatened in my terror to
cut the sheet of the sail. I attacked the Professor with
considerable acrimony, calling him foolhardy, mad, I know
not what He made no answer. Suddenly the imperturb-
able Hans once more pointed his finger to the menacing
object ''Holme r'
" An island 1 " cried my uncle.
" An island ? " I replied, shrugging my shoulders at this
poor attempt at deception.
" Of course it is," cried my uncle, bursting into a loud
and joyous laugh.
" But the water spout? "
" Geyser," said Hans.
" Yes, of course — a geyser," replied my uncle, still laugh-
ing, " a geyser like those common in Iceland. Jets like this
are the great wonders of the country."
At first I would not allow that I had been so grossly
deceived. What could be more ridiculous than to have
taken an island for a marine monster? But kick as one
may, one must jaeld to evidence, and I was finally con-
vinced of my error. It was nothing, after all, but a natural
phenomenon.
As we approached nearer and nearer, the dimensions of
the liquid sheaf of waters became truly grand and stu-
pendous. The island had, at a distance, presented the
appearance of an enormous whale, whose head rose high
above the waters. The geyser, a word which signifies fury.
148 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
rose majestically from its summit Dull detonations are
heard every now and then, and the enormous jet, taken as it
were with sudden fury, shakes its plume of vapor, and
bounds into the first layer of the clouds. It is alone.
Neither spurts of vipor nor hot springs surround it, and the
whole volcanic power of that region is concentrated in one
sublime column. The rays of electric light mix with this
dazzling sheaf, every drop as it falls assuming the prismatic
colors of the rainbow.
"Let us go on shore," said the Professor, after some
minutes of silence. It was necessary, however, to take
great precaution, in order to avoid the weight of falling
waters, which would cause the raft to founder in an in-
stant. Hans, however, steered admirably, and brought us
to the other extremity of the island.
I was the first to leap on the rock. My uncle followed,
while the eider-duck hunter remained still, like a man
above any childish sources of astonishment. We were now
walking on granite mixed with silicious sandstone ; the soil
shivered under our feet like the sides of boilers in which
over-heated steam is forcibly confined. It was burning.
We soon came in sight of the little central basin from
which rose the geyser. I plunged a thermometer into the
water which ran bubbling from the center, and it marked a
heat of a hundred and sixty-three degrees! This water,
therefore, came from some place where the heat was in-
tense. This was singularly in contradiction with the
theories of Professor Hardwigg. I could not help telling
him my opinion on the subject.
"Well," said he sharply, "and what does this prove
against my doctrine ? "
" Nothing," replied I dryly, seeing that I was running
my head against a foregone conclusion. I am compelled
to confess that until now we have been most remarkably
fortunate, and that this voyage is being accomplished in
most favorable conditions of temperature; but it appears
evident, in fact, certain, that we shall sooner ot* later arrive
at one of those regions, where the central heat will reach
its utmost limits, and will go far beyond all the possible
gradations of thermometers. Visions of the Hades of the
ancients, believed to be in the center of the earth, floated
through my imagination.
THE SEA MONSTER 149
We shall, however, see what we shall see. That is the
Professor's favorite phrase now. Having christened the
volcanic island by the name of his nephew, the leader of
the expedition turned away and gave the signal for em-
barkation. We went carefully round the projecting, and
rather dangerous,, rocks of the southern side. Hans had
taken advantage of this brief halt to repair the raft. Not
before it was required.
Before we took our final departure from the island, how-
ever, I made some observations to calculate the distance
we had gone over, and I put them down in my Journal.
Since we left Port Gretchen, we had traveled two hundred
and seventy leagues — ^more than eight hundred miles— on
this great inland sea; we were, therefore, six hundred and
twenty leagues from Iceland, and exactly under Eng-
land.
CHAPTER XXXn
THE BATTLE OF THE ELEMENTS
pRmAY, August 2 1 St. This morning the magnificent
geyser had wholly disappeared. The wind had freshened
up, and we were fast leaving the neighborhood of Henry's
Island. Even the roaring sound of the mighty column
was lost to the ear.
The weather, if, under the circumstances, we may use
such an expression, is about to change very suddenly. The
atmosphere is being gradually loaded with vapors, which
carry with them tihe electricity formed by the constant
evaporation of the saline waters; the clouds are slowly but
sensibly falling towards the sea, and are assuming a dark
olive texture I the electric rays can scarcely pierce through
the opaque curtain which has fallen like a drop-scenes be-
fore this wondrous theater, on the stage of which another
and terrible drama is soon to be enacted. This time it is
no fight of animals; it is the fearful battle of the
elements. v
-In the distance, the clouds have assumed the appearance
of enormous balls of cotton, or rather pods, piled one above
the other in picturesque confusion. By degrees, they ap-
pear to swell out, break, and gain in number what they lose
in grandeur; their heaviness is so great that they are unable
150 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
to lift themselves from the horizon; but under the influence
of the upper currents of air, they are gradually broken up,
become much darker, and then present the appearance of
one single layer of a formidable character; now and then a
lighter cloud, still lit up from above, rebounds upon this
gray carpet, and is lost in the opaque mass.
There can be no doubt that the entire atmosphere is
saturated with electric fluid; I am myself wholly impreg-
nated; my hairs literally stand on end as if under the in-
fluence of a galvanic battery. If one of my companions
ventured to touch me, I think he would receive rather a
violent and unpleasant shock.
About ten o'clock in the morning, the symptoms of the
storm became more thorough and decisive; the wind ap-
peared to soften down as if to take breath for a renewed
attack; the vast funereal pall above us looked like a huge
bag — like the cave of iEolus, in which the storm was col-
lecting its forces for the attack. I tried all I could not to
believe in the menacing signs of the sky, and yet I cotdd not
avoid saying, as it were involuntarily — •" I believe we are
going to have bad weather."
The Professor made me no answer. He was in a horri-
ble, in a detestable humor — ^to see the ocean stretching in-
terminably before his eyes. On hearing my words he
simply shrugged his shoulders.
" We shall have a tremendous storm," I said again, point-
ing to the horizon. " These clouds are falling lower and
lower upon the sea, as if to crush it."
A' great silence prevailed. The wind wholly ceased.
Nature assumed a dead calm, and ceased to breathe. Upon
the mast, where I noticed a sort of slight ignis fatuus, the
sail hung in loose heavy folds. * The raft lay motionless in
the midst of a dark heavy sea — ^without undulation, without
motion. It was as still as glass. " Let us lower the sail,"
I said, " it is only an act of common prudence."
" No — no," cried my uncle, in an exasperated tone, " a
hundred times, no. Let the wind strike us and do its worst,
let the storm sweep us away where it will — only let me see
the glimmer of some coast — of some rocky cliflFs, even if
they dash our raft into a thousand pieces. No! keep up
the sail — no matter what happens."
These words were scarcely uttered, when the southern
THE BATTLE OF THE ELEMENTS 151
horizon underwent a sudden and violent change. The long
accumulated vapors were resolved into water, and the air
required to fill up the void produced became a wild and
raging tempest. It came from the most distant corners of
the mighty cavern. It raged from every point of the com-
pass. It roared; it yelled; it shrieked with glee as of
demons let loose. The darkness increased and became
indeed darkness visible.
The raft rose and fell with the storm, and bounded over
the waves. My uncle was cast headlong upon the deck.
I with great difficulty dragged myself towards him. He
was holding on with might and main to the end of a cable,
and appeared to gaze with pleasure and delight at the
spectacle of the unchained elements.
Hans never moved a muscle. His long hair driven
hither and thither by the tempest and scattered wildly over
his motionless face, gave him a most extraordinary appear-
ance — for every single hair was illuminated by little spar-
kling sprigs. His countenance presented the extraordinary
appearance of an antediluvian man, a true contemporary of
the megatherium.
Still the mast holds good against the storm. The sail
spreads out and fills like a soap bubble about to burst The
raft rushes on at a pace impossible to estimate.
" The sail, the sail ! " I cried, making a trumpet of my
hands, and then endeavoring to lower it
Let it alone ! " said my uncle, more exasperated than
it
ever.
it
HejT said Hans, gently shaking his head.
The rain formed a roaring cataract before this horizon
of which we were in search, and to which we were rushing
like madmen. But before this wilderness of waters reached
us, the mighty veil of cloud was torn in twain; the sea
began to foam wildly. To the fearful claps of thun-
der were added dazzling flashes of lightning, such as I
had never seen. The flashes crossed one another, hurled
from every side; while the thunder came pealing like an
echo.
The mass of vapor becomes incandescent ; the hail-stones
which strike the metal of our boots and our weapons, are
actually luminous; the waves as they rise appear to be
fire-eating monsters, beneath which seethes an intense fire.
152 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
their crests surmounted by combs of flame. My eyes are
dazzled, blinded by the intensity of light, my ears are deaf-
ened by the awful roar of the elements. I am compelled
to hold on to the mast, which bends like a reed beneath the
violence of the storm, to which none ever before seen by
mariners bore any resemblance.
• • • • •
Here my traveling notes become very incomplete, loose
and vague, I have only been able to make out one or two
fugitive observations, dotted down in a mere mechanical
way. But even their brevity, even their obscurity, show
the emotions which overcame me.
• • • • •
Sunday, August 23d. Where have we got to ? In what
region are we wandering? We are still carried forward
with inconceivable rapidity. The night has been fearful,
something not to be described. The storm shows no signs
of cessation. We exist in the midst of an uproar which
has no name. The detonations as of artillery are incessant.
Our ears literally bleed. We are unable to exchange a
word, or hear each other speak. The lightning never ceases
to flash for a single instant. I can see the zigzags after a
rapid dart, strike the arched roof of this mightiest of mighty
vaults. If it were to give way and fall upon us! Other
lightnings plunge their forked streaks in every direction,
and take the form of globes of fire, which explode like
bomb-shells over a beleaguered city. The general crash
and roar do not apparently increase ; it has already gone far
beyond what human ear can appreciate. If all the powder-
magazines in the world were to explode together, it would
be impossible for us to hear worse noise.
There is a constant emission of light from the storm-
clouds ; the electric matter is incessantly released ; innumer-
able columns of water rush up like waterspouts, and fall
back upon the surface of the ocean in foam. Whither are
we going? My imcle still lies at full length upon the raft,
without speaking — ^without taking any note of time.
Monday, August 24. This terrible storm will never end.
Why should not this state of the atmosphere, so dense and
murky, once modified, again remain definitive?
We are utterly broken and harassed by fatigue. Hans
remains just as usual. The raft nms to the south-east in-
THE BATTLE OF THE ELEMENTS 153
Variably. We have now already run two hundred leagues
from the newly-discovered island.
About twelve o'clock the storm becomes worse than ever.
We are obliged to fasten every bit of cargo tightly on the
deck of the raft, or everything would be swept away. We
tie ourselves to the mast, each man lashing the other. The
waves drive over us, so that several times we are actually
under water.
We had been under the painful necessity of abstaining
from speech for three days and three nights. We opened
our mouths, we moved our lips, but no sound came. Even
when we placed our mouths to each other's ears it was the
same. The wind carried the voice away. My uncle once
contrived to get his head close to mine after several almost
vain endeavors. He appeared to my nearly exhausted
senses to articulate some word. I had a notion, more from
intuition than anything else, that he said to me, " we are
lost"
I took out my note book, from which under the most
desperate circumstances I never parted, and wrote a few
words as legibly as I could — " Take in sail." With a deep
sigh he nodded his head and acquiesced.
His head had scarcely time to fall back in the position
from which he had momentarily raised it, than a disc or
ball of fire appeared on the very edge of the raft — our
devoted, our doomed craft The mast and sail were carried
away bodily, and I saw them swept away to a prodigious
height like a kite.
We were frozen, actually shivered with terror. The
ball of fire, half white, half azure-colored, about the size
of a ten-inch bomb-shell, moved along, turning with pro-
digious rapidity to leeward of the storm. It ran about
here, there and everywhere, it clambered up one of the
bulwarks of the raft, it leaped upon the sack of provisions,
and then finally descended lightly, fell like a foot ball and
landed on our powder barrel.
Horrible situation. An explosion of course seemed now
inevitable. The dazzling disc moved to one side, it ap-
proached Hans, who looked at it with singular fixity; then
it approached my uncle, who cast himself on his knees to
avoid it ; it came towards me, as I stood pale and shuddering
in the dazzling light and heat ; it pirouetted round my feet,
154 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
which I endeavored to withdraw. An odor of nitrous gas
filled the whole air; it penetrated to the throat, to the lungs.
I felt ready to choke.
Why is it that I cannot withdraw my feet? Are they
riveted to the flooring of the raft? No. The fall of the
electric globe has turned all the iron on board into loadstones
— the instruments, the tools, the arms are clanging together
with awful and horrible noise; the nails of my heavy boots
adhere closely to the plate of iron incrustated in the wood.
I cannot withdraw my foot.
At last, by a violent and almost superhuman effort, I tear
it away just as the ball which is still executing its gyratory
motions is about to run round it and drag me with it — if
O what intense stupendous light 1 The globe of fire
bursts — we are enveloped in cascades of living fire, which
flood the space around with luminous matter.
Then all went out and darkness once more fell upon the
deep ! I had just time to see my uncle once more cast ap-
parently senseless on the flooring of the raft, Hans at the
helm, " spitting fire " under the influence of the electricity
which seemed to have gone through him.
Tuesday, August 25. I have just come out of a long
fainting fit The awful and hideous storm still continues ;
the lightning has increased in vividness, and pours out its
fiery wrath like a brood of serpents let loose in the atmos-
phere.
Are we still upon the sea? Yes, and being carried along
with incredible velocity. We have passed under England,
under the Channel, under France, probably under the whole
extent of Europe.
• • • • •
Another awful clamor in the distance. This time it is
certain that the sea is breaking upon the rocks at no great
distance. Then
CHAPTER XXXIII
OUR ROUTE REVERSED
Here ends what I call My Journal of our voyage on
board the raft, which Journal was happily saved from the
wreck. I proceed with my narrative as I did before I com-
menced my daily notes.
What happened when the terrible shock took place, when
the raft was cast upon the rocky shore, it would be impos-
sible for me now to say. I felt myself precipitated violently
into the boiling waves, and if I escaped from a certain and
cruel death, it was wholly owing to the determination of
the faithful Hans, who clutching me by the arm, saved me
from the yawning abyss.
The courageous Icelander then carried me in his power-
ful arms, far out of the reach of the waves, and laid me
down upon a burning expanse of sand, where I found my-
self some time afterwards in the company of my uncle the
Professor. Then Hans quietly returned towards the fatal
rocks, against whidi the furious waves were beating, in
order to save any stray waifs from the wreck. This man
was always practical and thoughtful.
I could not utter a word; I was quite overcome with
emotion; my whole body was broken and bruised with fa-
tigue; it took hours before I was anything like myself.
Meanwhile, there fell a fearful deluge of rain, drenching
us to the skin. Its very violence, however, proclaimed the
approaching end of the storm. Some overhanging rocks
afforded us a slight protection from the torrents.
Under this shelter, Hans prepared some food, which,
however, I was unable to touch; and, exhausted by the
three weary days and nights of watching, we fell into a
deep and painful sleep. My dreams were fearful, but at
last exhausted nature asserted her supremacy, and I slum-
bered.
Next day when I awoke the change was magical. The
weather was magnificent Air and sea, as if by mutual
consent, had regained their serenity. Every trace of the
storm, even the faintest, had disappeared. I was saluted
on my awakening by the first joyous tones I had heard
from' the Professor for many a day. His gayety, indeed,
was something terrible. "Well, my lad," he cried, rub-
bing his hands together, " have you slept soundly? "
1S5
iS6 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
Might it not have been supposed that we were in the
old house on the Konigstrasse ; that I had just come down
quietly to my breakfast, and that my marriage with
Gretchen was to take place that very day? My uncle's
coolness was exasperating.
Alas, considering how the tempest had driven us in an
easterly direction, we had passed under the whole of Ger-
many, under the city of Hamburg where I had been so
happy, under the very street which contained all I loved
and cared for in the world. It was a positive fact that I
was only separated from her by a distance of forty leagues.
But these forty leagues were of hard impenetrable granite!
All these dreary and miserable reflections passed through
my mind, before I attempted to answer my uncle's ques-
tion.
" Why, what is the matter? ** he cried, " cannot you say
whether you have slept well or not ? "
'* I have slept very well," was my reply, " but every bone
in my body aches. I suppose that will lead to nothing."
** Nothing at all, my lx)y. It is only the result of the
fatigue of the last few days — that is alL
" You appear — ^if I may be allowed to say so— to be very
jolly this morning," I said.
** Delighted, my dear boy, delighted. Was never happier
in my life. We have at last reached the wished- for port'*
" The end of oiu- expedition? " cried I, in a tone of con-
siderable surprise.
" No ; but to the confines of that sea which I began to
fear would never end, but go round the whole world We
will now tranquilly resume our journey by land, and once
again endeavor to dive into the center of the Earth."
" My dear uncle," I began, in a hesitating kind of way,
" allow me to ask you one question? "
" Certainly, Harry; a dozen if you think proper.**
" One will suffice. How about getting back ? " I asked.
" How about getting back ? What a question to ask.
We have not as yet reached the end of our journey."
" I know that All I want to know is, how you pro-
pose we shall manage the return voyage ? "
" In tlie most simple manner in the world," said the im-
perturbable Professor. " Once we reach the exact center
of this sphere, either we shall find a new road by which to
DUR ROUTE REVERSED 157
ascend to the surface, or we shall simply turn round and
go back by the way we came. I have every reason to be-
lieve that while we are traveling forward, it will not close
behind us."
" Then one of the first matters to see to will be to repair
the raft," was my rather melancholy response.
" Of course. We must attend to that above all things,"
continued the Professor.
" Then comes the all-important question of provisions,"
I urged. " Have we anything like enough left to enable
us to accomplish such great, such amazing, designs as you
contemplate carrying out ? "
'^ I have seen into the matter, and my answer is in the
affirmative. Hans is a very clever fellow, and has saved
the greater part of the cargo. But the best way to satisfy
your scruples, is to come and judge for yourself." Saying
which, he led the way out of the kind of open grotto in
which we had taken shelter. I had almost begun to hope
that which I should rather have feared, the impossibility
of such a shipwreck leaving even the slightest signs of
what it had carried as freight
As soon as I reached tilie shores of this inland sea, I
found Hans standing gravely in the midst of a large num-
ber of things laid out m complete order. My uncle wrung
his hands with deep and silent gratitude. His heart was
too full for speech. This man, whose superhuman devo-
tion to his employers, I never saw surpassed, nor even
equaled, had been hard at work all the time we slept, and
at the risk of his life had succeeded in saving the most
precious articles of our cargo.
Of coiuw, under the circumstances, we necessarily ex-
perienced several severe losses. Our weapons had wholly
vanished. But experience had taught us to do without
them. The provision of powder had, however, remained
intact, after having narrowly escaped blowing us all to
atoms in the storm.
" Well," said the Professor, who was now ready to make
the best of everything, " as we have no guns, all we have
to do is to give up all idea of hunting."
"Yes, my dear sir, we can do without them, but what
about all our instruments? "
** Here is the manometer, the most useful of all, which
V
%
IS8 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
2 gladly accept in lieu of the rest With it alone I can cal-
culate the depth as we proceed; by its means alone I shall
be able to decide when we have reached the center of the
earth. Ha, ha I but for this little instrument we might
make a mistake, and run the risk of coming out at the antip-
odes!" All this was said amid bursts of tmnatural
laughter.
" But the compass," I cried, " without that what can we
do?"
"Here it is safe and sound!" he cried, with real joy,
" ah, ah, and here we have the chronometer and the ther-
mometers. Hans the hunter is indeed an invaluable man ! "
It was impossible to deny this fact As far as the nauti-
cal and other instruments were concerned, nothing was
wanting. Then on further examination, I found ladders,
cords, pickaxes, crowbars, and shovels, all scattered about
on the shore. "But what are we to do for food?" I
asked.
" Let us see to the commissariat department," replied my
uncle gravely. The boxes which contained our supply of
food for the voyage were placed in a row along the strand,
and proved in a capital state of preservation; the sea had
in every case respected their contents. Taking into con-
sideration, biscuits, salt meat, schiedam and dried fish, iwe
could still calculate on having about four months' supply,
if used with prudence and caution.
" Four months," cried the sanguine Professor, in high
glee, " then we shall have plenty of time both to go and to
come, and with what remains I imdertake to give a grand
dinner to my colleagues of the Johanneum."
I sighed: I should by this time have used m)rself to the
temperament of my uncle, and yet this man astonished me
more and more every day. He was the greatest human
enigma I ever had known.
" Now," said he, " before we do anything else we must
lay in a stock of fresh water. The rain has fallen in abtm-
dance, and filled the hollows of the granite. There is a
rich supply of water, and we have no fear of suffering from
thirst, which in our circumstances is of the last importance.
As for the raft, I shall recommend Hans to repair it to the
best of his abilities; though I have every reason to believe
we shall not require it again/'
OUR ROUTE REVERSED 159
" How is that? " I cried, more amazed than ever at my
uncle's style of reasoning.
" I have an idea, my dear boy ; it is none other than this
simple fact : we shall not come out by the same opening as
that by which we entered."
I began to look at my uncle with vague suspicion. An
idea had more than once taken possession of me; and this
was, that he was going mad. Little did I think how true
and prophetic his words were doomed to be.
" And now," he said, " having seen to all these matters
of detail, to breakfast" I followed him to a sort of pro-
jecting cape, after he had given his last instructions to our
guide. In this original position, with dried meat, biscuit,
and a delicious cup of tea, we made a satisfactory meal —
I may say one of the most welcome and pleasant I ever re-
member. Exhaustion, the keen atmosphere, the state of
calm after so much agitation, all contributed to give me an
excellent appetite. Indeed, it contributed very much to
producing a pleasant and cheerful state of mind.
While breakfast was in hand, and between the sips of
warm tea, I asked my uncle if he had any idea of how we
now stood in relation to the world above. " For my part,"
I added, " I think it will be rather difficult to determine."
" Well, if we were compelled to fix the exact spot," said
my uncle, " it might be difficult, since during the three
days of that awful tempest I could keep no account either
of the quickness of our pace, or of the direction in which
the raft was going. Still, we will endeavor to approximate
to the truth. We shall not, I believe, be so very far out."
" Well, if I recollect rightly," I replied, " out last obser-
vation was made at the Geyser island."
" Harry's Island, my boy ! Harry's Island. Do not de-
cline the honor of having named it; given your name to an
island discovered by us, the first himian beings who trod it
since the creation of the world ! "
" Let it be so, then. At Harry's Island we had already
gone over two hundred and seventy leagues of sea, and we
were, I believe, about six hundred leagues, more or less,
from Iceland."
" Good. I am glad to see that you remember so well.
Let us start from that point, and let us count four days of
storm, during which our rate of traveling must have been
ii
i6o TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
very great I should say that our velocity must have been
about eighty leagues to the twenty-four hours."
I agreed that I thought this a fair calculation. There
were then three hundred leagues to be added to the grand
total
" Yes, and the Central Sea must extend at least six hun-
dred leagues from side to side. Do you know, my boy,
Harry, tiiat we have discovered an inland lake larger than
the Mediterranean?"
" Certainly, and we only know of its extent in one way.
It may be hundreds of miles in length."
Very likely."
Then," said I, after calculating for some minutes, " if
your previsions are right, we are at this moment exactly
under the Mediterranean itself."
"Do you think so?"
" Yes, I am almost certain of it Are we not nine hun-
dred leagues distant from Reykjawik?"
"That is perfectly true, and a famous bit of road we
have traveled, my boy. But why we should be imder the
Mediterranean more than under Turkey or the Atlantic
Ocean can only be known when we are sure of not having
deviated from our course ; and of this we know nothing."
" I do not think we were driven very far from our course :
the wind appears to me to have been always about the
same. My opinion is that this shore must be situated to
the southeast of Port Gretchen."
" Good — I hope so. It will, however, be easy to decide
the matter by taking the bearings from our departure by
means of the compass. Come along, and we will consult
that invaluable invention." The Professor now walked
eagerly in the direction of the rock where the indefatigable
Hans had placed the instruments in safety. My uncle was
gay and light-hearted; he rubbed his hands, and assumed
all sorts of attitudes. He was to all appearance once more
a young man. Since I had known him never had he been
so amiable and pleasant. I followed him, rather curious to
know whether I had made any mistake in my estimation of
our position. As soon as we had reached the rock, my
uncle took the compass, placed it horizontally before him
and looked keenly at the needle. As he had at first shaken
it to give it vivacity, it oscillated considerably, and then
v. II Verne
OUR ROUTE REVERSED i6i
slowly assomed its right position under the influence of the
magnetic power.
The Professor bent his eyes curiously over the wondrous
instrument. A violent start immediately showed the ex-
tent of his emotion. He closed his eyes, rubbed them, and
took another and a keener survey. Then he turned slowly
round to me, stupefaction depicted on his countenance.
" What is the matter? " said I, beginning to be alarmed.
He could not speak. He was too overwhelmed for
words. He simply pointed to the instrument. I examined
it eagerly according to his mute directions, and a loud cry
of surprise escaped my lips. The needle of the compass
pointed due north, in the direction we expected was the
south! It pointed to the shore instead of to the high
seas.
I shook the compass; I examined it with a curious and
anxious eye. It was in a state of perfection. No blemish
in any way explained the phenomenon. Whatever posi-
tion we forced the needle into, it returned invariably to the
same unexpected point
It was useless attempting to conceal from ourselves the
fatal truth. There could be no doubt, imwelcome as was
the fact, that during the tempest, there had been a sudden
slant of wind, of which we had been unable to take any ac-
count, and thus the raft had carried us back to the shores
we had left, apparently for ever, so many days before!
CHAPTER XXXIV
A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
It would be altogether impossible for me to give any
idea of the utter astonishment which overcame the Pro-
fessor on making this extraordinary discovery. Amaze-
ment, incredulity, and rage were blended in such a way as
to alarm me. During the whole course of my life I had
never seen a man at first so chap fallen ; and then so furiously
indignant.
The terrible fatigues of our sea voyage, the fearful dan-
gers we had passed through, had all, all, gone for nothing.
We had to begin them all over again. Instead of progress-
ing, as we fondly expected, during a voyage of so many
i62 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
days, we had retreated. Every hour of our expedition on
the raft had been so much lost time !
Presently, however, the indomitable energy of my tmcle
overcame every other consideration. " So,'* he said, be-
tween his set teeth, ** fatality will play me these terrible
tricks. The elements themselves conspire to overwhelm me
with mortification. Air, fire, and water combine their
united eflforts to oppose my passage. Well, they shall see
what the earnest will of a determined man can do. I will
not yield, I will not retreat even one inch; and we shall
see who shall triumph in this great contest — ^man or na-
ture.''
Standing upright on a rock, irritated and menacing. Pro-
fessor Hardwigg, like the ferocious Ajax, seemed to defy
the fates. I, however, took upon myself to interfere, ajid
to impose some sort of check upon such insensate en-
thusiasm.
" Listen to me, uncle,*' I said, in a firm but temperate
tone of voice, " there must be some limit to ambition here
below. It is utterly useless to struggle against the impos-
sible. Pray listen to reason. We are utterly unprepared
for a sea voyage; it is simple madness to tiiink of per-
forming a second journey of five hundred leagues upon a
wretched pile of beams, with a counterpane for a sail, a
paltry stick for a mast, and a tempest to contend with. As
we are totally incapable of steering our frail craft, we shall
become the mere plaything of the storm, and it is acting the
part of madmen if we, a second time, run any risk upon
this dangerous and treacherous Central Sea."
These are only a few of the reasons and arguments I put
together — reasons and arguments which to me appeared
unanswerable. I was allowed to go on without interrup-
tion for about ten minutes. The explanation to this I soon
discovered. The Professor was not even listening, and did
not hear a word of all my eloquence.
" To the raft 1 " he cried, in a hoarse voice, when I paused
for a reply.
Such was the result of my strenuous effort to resist his
iron will. I tried again; I begged and implored him; I
got into a passion; but I had to deal with a will more de-
termined than my own. I seemed to feel like the waves
which fought and battled against the huge mass of granite
A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 163
at our feet, which had smiled grimly for so many ages at
their puny efforts.
Hans, meanwhile, without taking part in our discussion,
had been repairing the raft. One would have supposed
that he instinctively guessed at the further projects of my
uncle. By means of some fragments of cordage, he had
again made the raft sea-worthy. While I had been speak-
ing he had hoisted a new mast and sail, the latter already
fluttering and waving in the breeze.
The worthy Professor spoke a few words to our imper-
turbable guide, who immediately began to put our baggage
on board, and to prepare for our departure. The atmos-
phere was now tolerably clear and pure, and the north-east
wind blew steadily and serenely. It appeared likely to last
for some time.
What, then, could I do? Could I undertake to resist
the iron will of two. men? It was sknply impossible; if
even I could have hoped for the support of Hans. This,
however, was out of the question. It appeared to me that
the Icelander had set aside all personal will and identity.
He was a picture of abnegation. I could hope for nothing
from one so infatuated with and devoted to his master. All
I could do, therefore, was to swim with the stream. In
a mood of stolid and sullen resignation, I was about to
take my accustomed place on the raft, when my uncle placed
his hand upon my shoulder. " There is no hurry, my boy,"
he said, " we shall not start until to-morrow."
I looked the picture of resignation to the dire will of
fate. "Under the circimistances," he said, "I ought to
neglect no precautions. As fate has cast me upon these
shores, I shall not leave without having completely exam-
ined them."
In order to understand this remark, I must explain that
though we had been driven back to the northern shore, we
had landed at a very different spot from that which had
been our starting point. Port Gretchen must, we calcu-
lated, be very much to the westward. Nothing, therefore,
was more natural and reasonable than that we should re-
connoiter this new shore upon which we had so imexpectedly
landed. " Let us go on a journey of discovery," I cried.
And leaving Hans to his important operation, we started
on our expedition. As we trudged along, our feet crushed
i64 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
innumerable shells of every shape and size— once the dwell-
ing place of animals of every period of creation, I par-
ticularly noticed some enormous shells — carapaces (turtle
and tortoise species)^ the diameter of which exceeded fif-
teen feet.
They had in past ages belonged to those gigantic glyp-
todons of the pliocene period, of which the modem turtle
is but a minute specimen. In addition, the whole soil was
covered by a vast quantity of stony relics, having the ap-
pearance of flints worn by the action of the waves, and ly-
ing in successive layers one above the other. It appeared
clear that we were walking upon a kind of sediment, formed
like all the soils of that period, so frequent on the surface
of the globe, by the subsidence of the waters. The Pro-
fessor, who was now in his element, carefully examined
every rocky fissure. Let him only find an opening and it
directly became important to him to examine its depth.
For a whole mile we followed the windings of the Cen-
tral Sea, when suddenly an important change took place in
the aspect of the soil It seemed to have been rudely cast
up, convulsionized, as it were, by a violent upheaving of
the lower strata. In many places, hollows here, and hill-
ocks there, attested great dislocations at some other period
of the terrestrial mass. We advanced with great diffi-
culty over the broken masses of granite mixed with flint,
quartz and alluvial deposits, when a large field, more even
than a field, a plain of bones, appeared suddenly before our
eyesl It looked like an immense cemetery, where genera-
tion after generation had mingled their mortal dust
Lofty barrows of early remains rose at intervals. They
undulated away to the limits of the distant horizon and
were lost in a thick and brown fog. On that spot, some
three square miles in extent, was accumulated the whole
history of animal life — ^scarcely one creature still a habi-
tant of the comparatively modem soil of the upper and in-
habited world, had there existed.
We were drawn forward by an all-absorbing and im-
patient curiosity. . Our feet crushed with a dry and crack-
ling sound the remains of those prehistoric fossils, for which
the museums of great cities quarrel, even when they obtain
only rare and curious morsels. I was utterly confounded.
My uncle stood for some minutes with his arms raised on
A^ VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 165
higK towards the thick granite vault which served us for a
sky. His mouth was wide open; his eyes sparkled wildly
bdiind his spectacles (which he had fortunately saved), his
head bobbed up and down and from side to side, while his
whole attitude and mien expressed unbounded astonishment.
He stood in the presence of an. endless, wondrous and
inexhaustibly rich collection of antediluvian monsters, piled
up for his own private and peculiar satisfaction. Fancy an
enthusiastic lover of books carried suddenly into the very
midst of the famous library of Alexandria burned by the
sacrilegious Omar, and which some miracle had restored
to its pristine splendor ! Such was something of the state
of mind in which uncle Hardwigg was now placed
For some time he stood thus, literally aghast at the mag-
nitude of his discovery.
But it was even a greater excitement when, darting
wildly over this mass of organic dust, he caught up a naked
skull and addressed me in a quivering voice — " Harry, my
boy — Harry — ^this is a human head ! *'
CHAPTER XXXV
DISCOVERY UPON DISCOVERY
It will be easy to understand the Professor's mingled as-
tonishment and joy when, on advancing about twenty yards
further, he found himself in the presence of, I may say
face to face with an entire fossil of the human race, actually
belonging to the quartemary period I
The human skull was perfectly recognizable. Had a
soil of very peculiar nature, like that of the cemetery of
St. Michel at Bordeaux, preserved it during countless ages ?
This was the question I asked myself, but which I was
wholly unable to answer. This head with stretched and
parchmenty skin, with the teeth whole, the hair abundant,
was before our eyes as in life!
I stood mute, almost paralyzed with wonder and awe
before this dread apparition of another age. My uncle,
who on almost every occasion was a great talker, remained
for a time completely dumbfounded. He was too full of
emotion for speech to be possible. After a while, however,
we raised up the body to which the skull belonged. We
i66 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
stood it on end. It seemed, to our excited imaginations,
to look at us with its terrible hollow eyes.
After some minutes of silence, the man was vanquished
by the Professor. Human instincts succumbed to scien-
tific pride and exultation. Professor Hardwigg, carried
away by his enthusiasm, forgot all the circumstances of
our journey, the extraordinary position in which we were
placed, tlie immense cavern which stretched far away over
our heads. There can be no doubt that he thought him-
self at the institution addressing his attentive pupils, for
he put on his most doctorial style, waved his hand, and
began
" Gentlemen, I have the honor on this auspicious occa-
sion to present to you a man of the quartenary period of
our globe. Many learned men have denied his very exist-
ence, while other able persons, perhaps of even higher
authority, have affirmed their belief in the reality of his
life. If the St Thomases of palaeontology were present,
they would reverentially touch him with Bieir fingers and
believe in his existence, thus acknowledging their obstinate
heresy. I know that science should be careful in relation
to all discoveries of this nature. I am not without having
heard of the many Bamtmis and other quacks who have
made a trade of such like pretended discoveries. I have,
of course, heard of the discovery of the knee-bones of Ajax,
of the pretended finding of the body of Orestes by the
Spartiates, and of the body of Asterius, ten spans long,
fifteen feet — of which we read in Pausanias.
"I have read everything in relation to the skeleton of
Trapani, discovered in the fourteenth century, and which
many persons chose to regard as that of Polyphemus, and
the history of the giant dug up during the sixteenth cen-
tury in the environs of Palmyra. You are as well aware
as I am, gentlemen, of the existence of the celebrated anal-
ysis made near Lucerne, in 1577, of the great bones which
the celebrated Doctor Felix Plater declared belonged to
a giant about nineteen feet high. I have devoured all the
treatises of Cassanion, and all those memoirs, pamphlets,
speeches, and replies, published in reference to the skeleton
of Teutobochus, king of the Cimbri, the invader of Gaul,
dug out of a gravel pit in Dauphiny, in 161 3. In the
eighteenth century I should have denied, with Peter Cam-
DISCOVERY UPON DISCOVERY 167
pet, the existence of the preadamites of SdieucHzer. I
have had in my hands the writing called Gigans '^
Here my uncle was aflBicted by the natural infirmity
which prevented him from pronouncing difficult words in
public It was not exactly stuttering, but a strange sort
of constitutional hesitation. **The writing named Gi-
gans " he repeated.
He, however, could get no further. ^' Giganteo ^*
Impossible! The unfortunate word would not come out
There would have been great laughter at the Institution,
had the mistake happened there. " Gigantosteology I ** at
last exclaimed Professor Hardwigg, between two savage
growls.
"Yes, gentlemen, I am well acquainted with all these
matters, and know, also, that Cuvier and Blumenbach fully
recognized in these bones, the undeniable remains of mam-
moths of the quaternary period. But after what we now
see, to allow a doubt is to insult scientific inquiry. There is
the body ; you can see it ; you can touch it It is not a skele-
ton, it is a complete and uninjured body, preserved with an
anthropological object.'* I did not attempt to controvert
this singular and astounding assertion.
** If I could but wash this corpse in a solution bf sul-
phuric acid," continued my uncle, ** I would tmdertake to
remove all the earthy particles, and these resplendent shells,
which are incrusted all over this body. But I am without
this precious dissolving medium. Nevertheless, such as
it is, this body will tell its own history."
Here the Professor held up the fossil body, and exhibited
it with rare dexterity. No professional showman could
have shown more activity.
As on examination you will see," my uncle continued,
it is only about six feet in length, which is a long way
from the pretended giants of earljr days. As to the par-
ticular race to wjiich it belonged, it is incontestably Cau-
casian. It is of the white race, that is, of our own. The
skull of this fossil being is a perfect ovoid without any re-
markable or prominent development of the cheek bones,
and without any projection of the jaw. But I will ad-
Vfince still farther on the road of inquiry and deduction,
and I dare venture to say that this human sample or speci-
men belongs to the Japhetic family, which spread over the
4t
168 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
world from India to the uttermost limits of western
Europe. There is no occasion, genttemen, to smile at niy
remarks."
Of course ndtx>dy smiled. But the excellent Professor
was so accustomed to beaming countenances at his lectures,
that he believed he saw all his audience laughing during
the delivery of his learned dissertation.
" Yes/' he continued, with renewed animation, ** this is a
fossil man, a contemporary of the naastodons, with the bones
of which this whole amphitheater is covered. But if I am
called on to explain bow he came to this place, how these
various strata by which he is covered have fallen into this
vast cavity, I can undertake to give you no explanation.
But there is the man, surrounded by the works of his hands,
his hatchets, and his carved flints, which belong to the stone
period; and the only rational supposition is, tiiat, like my-
self, he visited the center of the earth as a traveling tourist,
a pioneer of science. At all events, there can be no doubt
of his great age, and of his being one of the oldest race of
human beings."
The Professor with these words ceased his oration, and I
burst forth into loud and "unanimous" applause. Be-
sides, after all, my uncle was right Much more learned
men than his nephew would have found it rather hard to
refute his facts and arguments.
Another circumstance soon presented itself. This fos-
silized body was not the only one in this vast plain of bones
— ^the cemetery of an extinct world. Other bodies were
found, as we trod the dusty plain, and my uncle was able
to choose the most marvelous of these specimens in order
to convince the most incredulous.
In truth, it was a surprising spectacle, the successive re-
mains of generations and generations of men and animals
confounded together in one vast cemetery. But a great
question now presented itself to our notice, and one we
were actually afraid to contemplate in all its bearings. Had
tliese once animated beings been buried so far beneath the
soil by some tremendous convulsion of nature, after they
had been earth to earth and ashes to ashes, or had they
lived here below, in this subterranean world, under this
factitious sky, born, married, and given in marriage, and
dying at last, just like ordinary inhabitants of the earth?
DISCOVERY UPON DISCOVERY 169
Up to the present moment, marine monsters, fisH, and
such like animals, had alone been seen alive 1 The ques-
tion which rendered us rather uneasy, was a pertinent one.
Were any of these men of the abyss wandering about the
deserted shores of this wondrous sea of the center of the
earth? This was a question which rendered me very un-
easy and uncomfortable. How, should they really be in
existence, would they receive us men from above ?
CHAPTER XXXVI
WHAT IS IT?
For a long and weary hour we tramped over this great
bed of bones. We advanced regardless of everything,
drawn on by ardent curiosity. What other marvels did
this great cavern contain — ^what other wondrous treasures
for the scientific man? My eyes were quite prepared for
any number of siu-prises, my imagination lived in ex-
pectation of something new and wonderful.
The borders of the great Central Ocean had for some
time disappeared behind the hills that were scattered over
the ground occupied by the plane of bones. The impru-
dent and enthusiastic Professor, who did not care whether
he lost himself or not, hurried me forward. We ad-
vanced silently, bathed in waves of electric fluid. The
light illumined equally the sides of every hill and rock. The
iappearance presented was that of a tropical country at
mid-day in summer — in the midst of the equatorial re-
gions and under the vertical rays of the sun. The rocks,
the distant mountains, some confused masses of far-off
forests, assumed a weird and mysterious aspect under
this equal distribution of the luminous fluid! We resem-
bled, to a certain extent, the mysterious personage in one
of Hoffmann's fantastic tales — ^the man who lost his
shadow.
After we had walked about a mile farther, we tame to
the edge of a vast forest, not, however, one of the vast
mushroom forests we had discovered near Port Gretchen.
It was the glorious and wild vegetation of the tertiary
period, in all its superb magnificence. Huge palms, p£ a
170 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
species now unknown, superb palmacites — ^a genus of fossil
palms from the coal formation — ^pines, yews, cypress, and
conifers or cone-bearing trees, the whole bound together
by an inextricable and complicated mass of creeping
plants. A beautiful carpet of mosses and ferns grew be-
neath the trees. Pleasant brooks murmured beneath um-
brageous boughs, little worthy of this name, for no shade
did they give. Upon their borders grew small tree-like
shrubs, such as are seen in the hot countries on our own
inhabited globe.
The one thing wanted to these plants, these shrubs, these
trees — ^was color! Forever deprived of the vivifying
warmth of the sun, they were vapid and colorless. All
shade was lost in one uniform tint, of a brown and faded
character. The leaves were wholly devoid of green, and
the flowers, so numerous during the tertiary period which
gave them birth, were without color and without perfume,
something like paper discolored by long exposure to the
atmosphere.
My uncle ventured beneath the gigantic groves. I fol-
lowed him, though not without a certain amount of appre-
hension. Since nature had shown herself capable of pro-
ducing such stupendous vegetable productions, why might
we not meet with animals as large, and therefore dan-
gerous.
Suddenly I stopped short and restrained my uncle. The
extreme diffuseness of the light enabled me to see tlie
smallest objects in the distant copse. I thought I saw —
no, I really did see with my own eyes, — immense, gigantic
animals moving about under the mighty trees. Yes, they
were truly gigantic animals, a whole herd of mastodons,
not fossils, but living.
Yes, I could see these enormous elephants, whose trunks
were tearing down large boughs, and working in and out
the trees like a legion of serpents. I could hear the sounds
of the mighty tusks uprooting huge trees! The boughs
crackled, and the whole masses of leaves and green
branches went down the capacious throats of these terrible
monsters !
^ That wondrous dream, when I saw the ante-historical
times revivified, when the tertiary and quaternary periods
passed before me, was now realized! And there we were
St
it
WHAT IS IT? 171
alone, far down in the bowels of the earth, at the mercy
of its ferocious inhabitants!
My uncle paused, full of wonder and astonishment
Come," he said at last, when his first surprise was over,
come along, my boy, and let us see them nearer."
"No," replied I, restraining his efforts to drag me
forward, " we are wholly without arms. What should we
do in the midst of that flock of gigantic quadrupeds?
Come away, uncle, I implore you. No human creature
can with impunity brave tiie ferocious anger of these mon-
sters."
" No human creature," said my uncle, suddenly lower-
ing his voice to a mysterious whisper, " you are mistaken,
my dear Henry. Look! look yonder! It seems to me
that I behold a human being — a being like ourselves — a
man!"
I looked, shrugging my shoulders, decided to push in-
credulity to its very last limits. But whatever might have
been my wish, I was compelled to yield to the weight of
ocular demonstration. Yes — not more than a quarter of
a mile off, leaning against the trunk of an enormous tree,
was a human being — a Proteus of these subterranean re-
gions, a new son of Neptune keeping this innumerable
herd of mastodons. Immanis, pecorts custos, immanis ipse!
(The keeper of gigantic cattle, himself a giant!) Yes — ^it
was no longer a fossil whose corpse we had raised from
the ground in the great cemetery, but a giant capable of
guiding and driving these prodigious monsters. His
height was above twelve feet His head, as big as the
head of a buffalo, was lost in a mane of matted hair. It
was indeed a huge mane, like those which belonged to the
elephants of the earlier ages of the world. In his hand
was a branch of a tree, which served as a crook for this
antediluvian shepherd.
We remained profoundly still, speechless with surprise.
But we might at any moment be seen by him. Nothing
remained for us but instant flight. " Come, come ! " I
cried, dragging my uncle along; and, for the first time, he
made no resistance to my wishes.
A^ quarter of an hour later we were far away from that
terrible monster ! Now that I think of the matter calmly,
and that I reflect upon it dispassionately ; now that months.
172 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
years, have passed since this strange and unnatural ad-
venture befell us,^ — ^jvhat am I to think, what am I to be-
lieve ?
No, it is utterly impossible! Our ears must have de-
ceived us, and our eyes have cheated us! we have not
seen what we believed we had seen. No human being
could by any possibility have existed in that subterranean
world! No generation of men could inhabit the lower
caverns of the globe without taking note of those who peo-
pled the surface, without communication with them. It
was folly, folly, folly! nothing else!
I am rather inclined to admit the existence of some
animal resembling in structure the human race — of some
monkey of the first geological epochs, like that discovered
by M. Lartet in the ossiferous deposits of Sansan. But
this animal, or being, whichsoever it was, surpassed in
height all things known to modern science. Never mind.
However unlikely it may be, it might have been a monkey
— ^but a man, a living man, and with him a whole genera-
tion of gigantic animals, buried in the entrails of the earth
• — it was too monstrous to be believed !
CHAPTER XXXVII
THE MYSTERIOUS DAGGER
During this time, we had left the bright and transpar-
ent forest far behind us. We were mute with astonish-
ment, overcome by a kind of feeling which was next door
to apathy. We kept running in spite of ourselves. It
was a perfect flight, which resembled one of those horrible
sensations we sometimes meet with in our dreams.
Instinctively we made our way towards the Central Sea,
and I cannot now tell what wild thoughts passed through
my mind, nor of what follies I might have been guilty,
but for a very serious pre-occupation which brought me
back to practical life. Though I was aware that we were
treading on a soil quite new to us, I, every now and then
noticed certain aggregations of rock, the shape of which
forcibly reminded me of those near Port Gretchen.
This confirmed, moreover, the indications of the com-
pass and our extraordinary and imlooked-for, as well as
THE MYSTERIOUS DAGGER 173
involuntary, return to the north of this great Central Sea.
It was so like our starting point, that I could scarcely
doubt the reality of our position. Streams and cascades,
fell in hundreds over the numerous projections of the
rocks. I actually thought I could see our faithful and
monotonous Hans and the wonderful grotto in which I
had come back to life after my tremendous fall.
Then, as we advanced still farther, the position of the
cliffs, the appearance of a stream, the unexpected profile
of a rock, would throw me again into a state of bewildering
doubt. After some time, I explained my state of mental
indecision to my uncle. He confessed to a similar feeling
of hesitation. He was totally unable to make up his mind
in the midst of this extraordinary but uniform panorama.
" There can be no doubt," I insisted, " that we have not
landed exactly at the place whence we first took our depar-
ture; but the tempest has brought us above our starting
point. I think, therefore, that if we follow the coast we
shall once more find Port Gretchen."
" In that case," cried my uncle, ** it is useless to con-
tinue our exploration. The very best thing we can do is
to make our way back to the raft. Are you quite sure,
Harry, that you are not mistaken ? "
" It is difficult," was my reply, ** to come to any deci-
6ion> for all these rocks are exactly alike. There is no
marked difference between them. At the same time, the
impression on my mind is, that I recognize the promontory
at the foot of which our worthy Hans constructed the raft.
We are, I am nearly convinced, near the little port; if this
be not it," I added, carefully examining a creek which ap-
I)cared singularly familiar to my mind.
" My dear Harry — if this were the case, we should find
traces of our own footsteps, some signs of our passage;
and I can really see nothing to indicate our having passed
this way."
" But I see something," I cried, in an impetuous tone of
voice, as I rushed forward and eagerly picked up some-
thing which shone in the sand under my feet.
" What is it? " cried the astonished and bewildered Pro-
fessor.
"This," was my reply. And I handed to my startled
relative a rusty dagger, of singular shape.
174 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
** What made you bring with you so useless a weapon ? "
he exclaimed. " It was needlessly hampering yourself."
** I bring it? — ^it is quite new to me. I never saw it be-
fore — are you sure it is not out of your collection ? "
"Not that I know of," said the Professor, puzzled.
** I have no recollection of the circumstance. It was never
my property."
"This is very extraordinary," I said, musing over the
novel and singular incident
" Not at ail. There is a very simple explanation, Harry.
The Icelanders are known to keep up the use of these an-
tiquated weapons, and this must have belonged to Hans,
who has let it fall without knowing it"
I shook my head. That dagger had never been in the
possession of the paciflc and taciturn Hans. I knew him
and his habits too well. " What can it be — ^unless it be
the weapon of some antediluvian warrior," I continued,
"of some living man, a contemporary of that mighty
shepherd from whom we have just escaped? But no-
mystery upon mystery — this is no weapon of the stone
epoch, nor even of the bronze period. It is made of ex-
cellent steel "
Ere I could finish my sentence, my uncle stopped me
short from entering upon a whole train of theories, and
spoke in his most cold and decided tone of voice. " Calm
yourself, my dear boy, and endeavor to use your reason.
This weapon, upon which we have fallen so unexpectedly,
is a true dague, one of those worn by gentlemen in their
belts during the sixteenth century. Its use was to give
the coup de grace, the final blow, to the foe who would not
surrender. It is clearly of Spanish workmanship. It be-
longs neither to you, nor to me, nor the eiderdown hunter,
nor to any of the living beings who may still exist so
marvelously in the interior of the earth."
"What can you mean, uncle?" I said, now lost in a
host of surmises.
" Look closely at it," he continued ; " these jagged edges
were never made by the resistance of human blood and
bone. The blade is covered with a legular coating of
iron-mould and rust, which is not a day old, not a year old
not a century old, but much more "
The Professor began to get quite excited, according to
THE MYSTERIOUS DAGGER 175
custom, and was allowing himself to be carried away by
his fertile imagination. I could have said something. He
stopped me, "Harry," he cried, "we are now on the
verge of a great discovery. This blade of a dagger you
have so marvelously discovered, after being abandoned
upon the sand for more than a hundred, two hundred, even
three hundred years, has been indented by someone en-
deavoring to carve an inscription on these rocks."
"But this poignard never got here of itself," I ex-
claimed, "it could not have twisted itself. Someone,
therefore, must have preceded us upon the shores of this
extraordinary sea."
" Yes, a man."
"But what man has been sufficiently desperate to do
such a thing."
" A man who has somewhere written his name with this
very dagger — s. man who has endeavored once more to in-
dicate the right road to the interior of the earth. Let us
look around, my boy. You know not the importance of
your singular and happy discovery."
Prodigiously interested, we walked along the wall of
rock, examining the smallest fissures, which might finally
expand into the much wished for gully or shaft. We at
last reached a spot where the shore became extremely nar-
row. The sea almost bathed the foot of the rocks, which
were here very lofty and steep. There was scarcely a
path wider than two jrards at any point. At last, under a
huge overhanging rock, we discovered the entrance of a
dark and gloomy tunnel.
There, on a square tablet of granite, which had been
smoothed by rubbing it with another stone, we could see
two mysterious, and much worn letters, the two initials of
the bold and extraordinary traveler who had preceded us
on our adventurous journey.
<'H
" A. S.," cried my uncle ; " you see I was right. Ame
Saknussemm, always Ame Saknussemm ! "
CHAPTER XXXVIII
NO OUTLET — BLASTING THE ROCK
Ever since the commencement of our marvelous journey,
I had experienced many surprises, had suffered from many
illusions. I thought that I was case-hardened against all
surprises and could neither see nor hear anything to amaze
me again. When, however, I saw these two letters, which
had been engraven three htmdred years before, I stood
iixed ia^^an attitude of mute surprise.
Not only was there the signature of the learned and
enterprising alchemist written in the rock, but I held in
ir.y hand the identical instrument with which he had la-
boriously engraved it. It was impossible, without showing
an amotmt of incredulity scarcely becoming a sane man, to
deny the existence of tlie traveler, and the reality of that
voyage which I believed all along to have been a myth — ^the
mystification of some fertile brain.
While these reflections were passing through my mind,
my uncle, the Professor, gave way to an access of feverish
and poetical excitement. ^ Wonderful and glorious Gen-
ius, great Saknussemm," he cried, "you have left no re-
source omitted to show to other mortals the way into the
interior of our mighty globe, and your fellow-creatures can
find the trail left by your illustrious footsteps, three him-
dred years aga You have been careful to secure for
others the contemplation of these wonders and marvels of
creation. Your name engraved at every important stage
of your glorious journey, leads the hopeful traveler direct
to the mighty discovery to which you devoted such energy
and courage. The audacious traveler, who shall follow
your footsteps to the last, will doubtless find your initials
engraved with your own hand upon the center of the earth.
/ will be that audacious traveler — I, too, will sign my name
upon the very same spot, upon the central granite stone of
this wondrous work of the Creator. But in justice to your
devotion, and to your being the first to indicate the road,
let this Cape, seen by you upon the shores of this sea dis-
covered by you, be called of all time, Cape Saknussemm."
^ This is what I heard, and I began to be roused to the
pitch of enthusiasm indicated by those words. A fierce
excitement roused me. I forgot everything. The dangers
of the vo3rage, and the perils of the return journey, were
V. II Vemo i^ij
BLASTING THE ROCK 177
now as nothing I What another man had done in ages
past, could I felt be done again ; I was determined to do it
myself, and now nothing that man had accomplished ap-
peared to me impossible, "Forward — forward/' I cried
in a burst of genuine and hearty enthusiasm.
I had already started in the direction of the somber and
gloomy gallery, when the Professor stopped me; he, the
man so rash and hasty, he, the mam so easily roused to the
highest pitch of enthusiasm, checked me, and a^ed me to
be patient and show more calm. "Let us return to our
good friend, Hans," he said; " we will then bring the raft
down to this place."
I must say that though I at once yielded to my uncle's
request, it was not without dissatisfaction, and I hastened
along the rocks of that wonderful coast " Do you know»
my dear tmclc," I said, as we walked' along, " that we have
been singularly helped by a concurrence of circumstances,
right up to this very moment."
" So you begin to see it, do you, Harry ? " said the Pro-
fessor, with a smile.
" Doubtless," I responded, " and strangely enough, even
the tempest has been the means of putting us on Uie right
road. Blessings on the tempest! It brought us safely
back to the very spot from which fine weather would have
driven us foreven Supposing we had succeeded in reach-
ing the southern and distant shores of this extraordinary
sea, what would have become of us? The name of Sak-
nussemm would never have appeared to us, and at this mo-
ment we should have been cast away upon an inhospitable
coast, probably without an outlet"
" Yes, Harry, my boy, there is certainly something provi-
dential in that wandering at the mercy of wind and waves
towards the south : we have come back exactly north ; and
what is better still, we fall upon this great discovery.
There is something in it which is far beyond my compre-
hension. The coincidence is unheard-of, marvelous ! "
" What matter ! It is not our duty to explain facts, but
to make the best possible use of them."
" Doubtless, my boy; but if you will allow me " said
the really-delighted Professor.
" Excuse me, sir, but I see exactly how it will be ; we
shall take the northern route ; we shall pass under the north-
178 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
em regions of Europe, under ^weden, under Russia, under
Siberia, and who knows where — instead of burying our-
selves under the burning plains and deserts of Africa, or
beneath the mighty waves of the ocean; and that is all, at
this stage of our journey, that I care to know. Let us ad-
vance, and Heaven will be our guide ! '*
" Yes, Harry, you are right, quite right ; all is for the
best Let us abandon this horizontal sea, which could
never have led to anything satisfactory. We shall descend,
descend, and everlastingly descend. Do you know, my
dear boy, that to reach the interior of the earth we have
only five thousand miles to travel ! "
" Bah ! " I cried, carried away by a burst of enthusiasm,
" the distance is scarcely worth speaking about The
thing is to make a start."
My wild, mad, and incoherent speeches continued until
we rejoined our patient and phlegmatic guide. All was,
we found, prepared for an immediate departure. There
was not a single parcel but what was in its proper place.
We all took up our posts on the raft, and the sail being
hoisted, Hans received his directions, and guided the frail
barque towards Cape Saknussemm, as we had definitely
named it.
The wind was very unfavorable to a craft that was tm-
able to sail close to the wind. We were continually re-
duced to pushing ourselves forward by means of poles.
On several occasions the rocks ran far out into deep water
and we were compelled to make a long round. At last,
after three long and weary hours of navigation, that is to
say, about six o'clock in the evening, we found a place at
which we could land.
I jumped on shore first. In my present state of excite-
ment and enthusiasm, I was always first My uncle and
the Icelander followed. The voyage from the port to
this point of the sea had by no means calmed me. It had
rather produced the opposite effect I even proposed to
bum our vessel, that is to destroy our raft, in order to com-
pletely cut oflf our retreat. But my uncle sternly opposed
this wild project. I began to think him particularly luke-
warm and unenthusiastic. " At any rate, my dear uncle,"
I said, " let us start without delay."
" Yes, my boy, I am quite as eager to do so as you can
BLASTING THE ROCK 179
be. But, in the first place, let us examine this mysterious
gallery, in order to find if we shall need to prepare and mend
our ladders."
My uncle now began to see to the efficiency of our Ruhm-
korff*s coil, which would doubtless soon be needed; the
raft, securely fastened to a rock, was left alone. The
opening into the new gallery was not twenty paces distant
from the spot Our little troop, with myself at the head,
advanced.
The orifice, which was almost circular, presented a
diameter of about five feet; the somber tunnel was cut in
the living rock, and coated on the inside by the different
material which had once passed through it in a state of
fusion. The lower part was about level with the water,
so that we were able to penetrate to the interior without
difficulty. We followed an almost horizontal direction;
when, at the end of about a dozen paces, our further ad-
vance was checked by the interposition of an enormous
block of granite rock.
" Accursed stone ! " I cried, furiously, on perceiving that
we were stopped by what seemed an insurmountable ob-
stacle.
In vain we looked to the right, in vain we looked to the
left; in vain examined it above and below. There ex-
isted no passage, no sign of any other tunnel. I experi-
enced the most bitter and painful disappointment. So en-
raged was I that I would not admit the reality of any
obstacle. I stooped to my knees ; I looked under the mass
of stone. No hole, no interstice. I then looked above.
The same barrier of granite! Hans, .with the lamp, ex-
amined the sides of the tunnel in every direction. But all
in vain! It was necessary to renounce all hope of pass-
ing through.
I had seated myself upon the ground. My uncle walked
angrily and hopelessly up and down. He was evidently
desperate. " But," I cried, after some moments' thought,
" what about Arne Saknussemm ? "
" You are right," replied my uncle, " he can never have
been checked by a lump of rock."
" No— ten thousand times no," I cried, with extreme
vivacity. " This huge lump of rock, in consequence of
some concussion, has in some unexpected way closed up
i8o TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
the passage. Many and many years have passed away
since the return of Saknussemm, and the fall of this huge
block of granite. Is it not quite evident that this gallery
was formerly the outlet for the pent-up lava in the in-
terior of the earth, and that these eruptive matters then
circulated freely? Look at these recent fissures in the
granite roof ; it is evidently formed of pieces of enormous
stone, placed here as if by the hand of a giants who had
worked to make a strong and substantial arch. One day,
after an unusually heavy shock, the vast rock whidi
stands in our way, fell through to a level with the soil and
has barred our further progress. We are right, then, in
thinking that this is an unexpected obstacle, with which
Saknugsemm did not meet; and if we do not upset it in
some way, we are unworthy of following in the footsteps
of the great discoverer, and incapable of finding oiu- way
to the Center of the Earth ! "
In this wild way I addressed my uncle. The zeal of
the Professor, his earnest longing for success, had become
part aiid parcel of my being. I wholly forgot the past;
I utterly despised the future. Nothing existed for me up-
on the surface of this spheroid in the bosom of which I was
engulfed, no towns, no country, no Hamburg, no Konig-
strassci not even my poor Gretchen, who by this time would
believe me utterly lost in the interior of the earth!
"Well," cried my unde, roused to enthusiasm by my
words, " let us go to work with pick-axes, with crowbars,
with anything tihat comes to hand— but down with these
terriWe walls/'
** It is far too tough and too big to be destroyed by a
pick-ax or crowbar," I replied.
*' What then?"
" As I said, it is useless to think of overcoming such a
difficulty by means of ordinary tools."
"What then?"
** What else but gunpowder, a subterranean mine ? Let
us blow up the obstacle that stands in our way."
" Gunpowder I "
" Yes; all we have to do is to get rid of this paltry ob-
stade."
" To work, Hans, to work ! " cried the Professor. The
Icelander went back to the raft, and soon returned with a
BLASTING THE ROCK i8i
huge crowbar, with which he began to dig a hole in the
rock, which was to serve as a mine. It was by no means
a slight task. It was necessary for our purpose to make
a cavity large enough to hold fifty pounds of fulminating
gun cotton, tlie expansive power of which is four times
as great as that of ordinary gunpowder.
I had now roused myself to an almost miraculous state
of excitement. While Hans was at work, I actively as-
sisted my uncle to prepare a long wick, made from damp
gunpowder, the mass of which we finally enclosed in a bag
of linen. "We are bound to go through," I cried en-
thusiastically.
" We are bound to go through/' responded the Professor,
tapping me on the back.
At midnight, our work as miners was completely fin-
ished ; the charge of fulminating cotton was thrust into the
hollow, and the match, which we had made of considerable
length, was ready. A spark was now sufficient to ignite
this formidable engine, and to blow the rock to atoms I
" We will now rest until to-morrow."
It was absolutely necessary to resign myself to my fate,
and to consent to wait for the explosion fpr six weary
hours !
CHAPTER XXXIX
THE EXPLOSION AND ITS RESULTS
The next day, which was the twenty-seventh of August,
was a date celebrated in our wondrous, subterranean jour-
ney.
I never think of it even now, but I shudder with horror.
My heart beats wildly at the very memory of that awful
day. From this time forward, our reason, our judgment,
our human ingenuity, had nothing to do with the course
of events. We were about to become the pla3rthing of the
great phenomena of the earth !
At six o'clock we were all up and ready. The dreaded
moment was arriving when we were about to seek an
opening into the interior of the earth by means of gun-
powder. What would be the consequences of breaking
through the crust of the earth.
i82 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
I begged that it might be my duty to set fire to the mine.
I looked upon it as an honor. This task once performed,
I could rejoin my friends upon the raft, which had not
been unloaded. As soon as we were all ready, we were to
sail away to some distance to avoid the consequences of the
explosion, the effects of which would certainly not be con-
centrated in the interior of the earth. The slow match
we calculated to burn for about ten minutes, more or less,
before it reached the chamber in which the great body of
powder was confined. I should therefore have plenty of
time to reach the raft and put off to a safe distance.
After a hearty repast, my uncle and the hunter-guide
embarked on board the raft, while I remained alone upon
the desolate shore. I was provided with a lantern which
was to enable me to set fire to the wick of the infernal
machine. " Go, my boy," said my uncle, '* and Heaven be
with you. But come back as soon as you can. I shall be
all impatience."
** Be easy on that matter," I replied, " there is no fear
of my delaying on the road." Having said this, I ad-
vanced toward the opening of the somber gallery. My
heart beat wildly. I opened my lantern and seized the ex-
tremity of the wick.
The Professor, who was looking on, held his chronome-
ter in his hand. " Are you ready ? " cried he.
" Quite ready."
"Well, then, fire awayl" I hastened to put the light
to the wick, which crackled and sparkled, hissing and spit-
ting like a serpent; then, running as fast as I could, I re-
turned to the shore.
" Get on board my lad, and you, Hans, shove off ! " cried
my uncle. By a vigorous application of his pole Hans sent
us flying over the water. The raft was quite twenty fath-
oms distant.
It was a moment of palpitating interest, of deep anxiety.
My uncle, the Professor, never took his eyes off the chro-
nometer. "Only five minutes more," he said in a low;
tone, " only four, only three."
My pulse went a hundred to the minute. I could hear
my heart beating.
"Only two, one! Now, then, mountains of granite,
crumble beneath the power of man ! "
THE EXPLOSION AND ITS RESULTS 183
What happened after that? As to the terrific roar of
the explosion, I do not think I heard it. But the form of
the rocks completely changed in my eyes — they seemed to
be drawn aside like a curtain. I saw a fathomless, a bot-
tomless abyss, which yawned beneath the turgid waves.
The sea, which seemed suddenly to have gone mad, then
became one great mountainous mass, upon the top of which
the raft rose perpendicularly.
We were all thrown down. The light gave place to .the
most profound obscurity. Then I felt all solid support
give way not to my feet, but to the raft itself. I thought
it was going bodily down a tremendous well. I tried to
speak, to question my uncle. Nothing could be heard but
the roaring of the mighty waves. We clung together in
utter silence.
Despite the awful darkness, despite the noise, the sur-
prise, the emotion, I thoroughly understood what had hap-
pened. Beyond the rock which had been blown up, there
existed a mighty abyss. The explosion had caused a kind
of earthquake in this soil, broken by fissures and rents.
The gulf, thus suddenly thrown open, was about to swal-
low die inland sea, which, transformed into a mighty tor-
rent, was dragging us with it. One only idea filled my
mind. We were utterly and completely lostl
One hour, two hours — what more I cannot say, passed
in this manner. We sat close together, elbow touching
elbow, knee touching knee ! We held one another's hands
not to be thrown off the raft. We were subjected to the
most violent shocks, whenever our sole dependence, a frail
wooden raft, struck against the rocky sides of the channel.
Fortunately for us, these concussions became less and less
frequent, which made me fancy that the gallery was getting
wider and wider. There could be now no doubt that we
had chanced upon the road once followed by Saknussemm,
but instead of going down in a proper manner, we had,
through our own imprudence, drawn a whole sea with us !
These ideas presented themselves to my mind in a very
vague and obscure manner. I felt rather than reasoned.
I put my ideas together only confusedly, while spinning
along like a man going down a waterfall. To judge by
the air which, as it were, whipped my face, we must have
been rushing at a perfectly lightning rate.
i84 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
To attempt under these circumstances to light a torch
was simply impossible, and the last remains of our electric
madiine, of our Ruhmkorf's coil, bad been destroyed dur-
ing the fearful explosion. I was therefore very much
confused to see at last a bright light shining close to me.
The calm countenance of the guide seemed to gleam upon
me. The clever and patient hunter had succeeded in light-
ing the lantern; and though, in the keen and thorough
drajug^t, tlie flame flickered and vacillated and was very
nearly put out, it served partially to dissipate the awful
obscurity.
The gallery into which we had entered was very wide.
I was, tiierefore, quite right in tiiat part of my conjecture.
The insufficient light did not allow us to see both of the
walls at the same time. The slope of waters, which was
carrying us away, was far greater than that of the most
rapid river. The whole surface of the stream seemed to
be composed of liquid arrows, darted forwari^with ex-
treme violence and power. I can give no idea of the im-
pression it made upon me.
The raft, at times, caught in certain whirlpools, and
rushed forward, yet turned on itself all the time. How it
did not upset I shall never be able to understand. When
it approached tlie sides of the gallery, I took care to throw
upon them the light of the lantern, and I was able to
judge of the rapidity of motion by looking at the project-
ing masses of rock, which as soon as seen were again in-
visible. I believe we were going at a rate of not less tlian
a hundred miles an hour.
My uncle and I looked at one another with wild and hag-
gard eyes; we clung convulsively to the stump of the mast,
whicli, at the moment when the catastrophe took place,
had snapped short oflf. We turned our backs as much as
possible to the wind, in order not to be stifled by a rapidity
of motion which notliing human could face and live.
And still the long monotonous hours went on. The sit-
uation did not change in the least, though a discovery I
suddenly made seemed to complicate it very much. When
we had slightly recovered our equilibrium, I proceeded to
examine our cai^o. I then made tlie unsatisfactory dis-
covery that tl>e greater part of it had utterly disappeared.
I became alarmed, and determined to discover what were
THE EXPLOSION AND ITS RESULTS 185
our resources. My heart beat at tlie idea, but it was iab-
solutely necessary to know on what we had to depend.
With this in view, I took the lantern and looked around.
Of all our former collection of nautical and philosophi-
cal instruments there remained only the chronometer and
the compass. The ladders and ropes were reduced to a
small piece of rope fastened to the stump of the mast Not
a pickax, not a crowbar, not a hammer, and, far worse
tlian all, no food — ^not enough for one day 1
This discovery was a prelude to a certain and horrible
death. Seated gloomily on the raft, clasping the stump
of the mast mechanically, I thought of all I had read as to
sufferings from starvation. I remembered everjrthing that
history had taught me on the subject, and I shuddered at
the remembrance of the agonies to be endured. Maddened
at the prospect, I persuaded myself that I must be mistaken.
I examined the cracks in the raft; I poked between the
joints and beams ; I examined every possible hole and cor-
ner. The residt was — ^simply nothing! Our stock of pro-
visions consisted of nothing but a piece of dry meat and
some soaked and half -mouldy biscuits.
I gazed around me scared and frightened. I could not
understand the awful truth. And yet of what consequence
was it in regard to any new danger? Supposing that we
had had provisions for months, and even for years, how
could we ever get out of the awful abyss into which we
were being hurled by the irresistible torrent we had let
loose ? Why should we trouble ourselves about the suffer-
ings and tortures to be endured from hunger, when death
stared us in the face under so many other swifter and per-
haps even more horrid forms?
I had the greatest mind to reveal all to my uncle, to ex-
plain to him the extraordinary and wretched position to
which we were reduced, in order that, between the two, we
might make a calculation as to the exact space of time
which remained for us to live. It was, it appeared to me,
the only thing to be done. But I had the courage to hold
my tongue, to gnaw at my entrails like the Spartan boy.
I wished to leave him all his coolness.
At this moment, the light of the lantern slowly fell, and
at last went out! The wick had wholly burnt to an end.
The obscimty became absolute. It was no longer possible
i86 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
to see through the impenetrable darkness! There was one
torch left, but it was impossible to keep it alight Then,
like a child, I shut my eyes, that I might not see the dark-
ness.
After a great lapse of time, the rapidity of our journey
increased. I could feel it by the rush of air upon my face.
The slope of the waters was excessive. I began to feel
that we were no longer going- down a slope ; we were fall-
ing. I felt as one does in a dream, going down bodily —
faUing; falling; falling!
I felt that the hands of my uncle and Hans were vigor-
ously clasping my arms. Suddenly, after a lapse of time
scarcely appreciable, I felt something like a shock. The
raft had not struck a hard body, but had suddenly been
checked in its course. A waterspout, a liquid column of
water, fell upon us. I felt suffocating. I was being
drowned. Still the sudden inundation did not last In a
few seconds I felt myself once more able to breathe. My
uncle and Hans pressed my arms, and the raft carried us
all three away.
CHAPTER XL
THE APE GIGANS
It is difficult for me to determine what was the real
time, but I should suppose, by after calculation, that it
must have been ten at night
I lay in a stupor, a half dream, during which I saw vis-
ions of astounding character. Monsters of the deep were
side by side with the mighty elephantine shepherd. Gi-
gantic fish and animals formed strange conjunctions. It
seemed in my vision that the raft took a sudden turn,
whirled round; entered another tunnel; this time illumined
in a most singular manner. The roof was formed of
porous stalactite, through which a moon-lit vapor appeared
to pass, casting its brilliant light upon our gaunt and hag-
gard figures. The light increased as we advanced, while
the roof ascended; until at last, we were once more in a
kind of water cavern, the lofty dome of which disappeared
in a luminous cloud ! My uncle and the guide moved as
men in a dream. I was afraid to waken them, knowing
THE APE GIGANS 187
*
the danger of such a sudden start I seated myself beside
them to watch.
As I did so, I became aware of something moving in the
distance, which at once fascinated my eyes. It was float-
ing, apparently, upon the surface of the water, advancing
by means of what at first appeared paddles. I looked with
glaring eyes. One glance told me that it was something
monstrous.
But what? It was the great Shark Crocodile of the
early writers on geology. About the size of an ordinary
whale, with hideous jaws and two gigantic eyes, it ad-
vanced. Its eyes fixed on me with terrible sternness.
Some indefinite warning told me that it had marked me for
its own.
I attempted to rise — ^to escape, no matter where, but my
knees shook under me; my limbs trembled violently; I
almost lost my senses. And still the mighty monster ad-
vanced. My uncle and the guide made no effort to save
themselves. With a strange noise, like none other I had
ever heard, the beas^came on. His jaws were at least
seven feet apart, and his distended mouth looked large
enough to have swallowed a boatful of men.
We were about ten feet distant, when I discovered^that
much as his body resembled that of a crocodile, his mouth
was wholly that of a shark. His twofold nattu'e now be-
came apparent. To snatch us up at a mouthful it was
necessary for him to turn on his back, which motion neces-
sarily caused his legs to kick up helplessly in the air. I
actually laughed even in the very jaws of death I
But next minute, with a wild cry, I darted away into the
interior of the cavern, leaving my unhappy comrades to
their fate! This cavern was deep and dreary. After
about a hundred yards, I paused and looked around. The
whole floor, composed of sand and malachite, was strewn
with bones, freshly-gnawed bones of reptiles and fish, with
a mixture of mammalia. My very soul grew sick as my
body shuddered with horror. I had truly, according to
the old proverb, fallen out of the frying-pan into the fire.
Some beast larger and more ferocious even than the Shark-
Crocodile inhabited this den.
What could I do? The mouth of the cave was guarded
by one ferocious monster, the interior was inhabited by
i88 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
something too hideous to contemplate. Flight was im-
possible! Suddenly a groaning, as of fifty bears in a
fight, fell upon my ears — ^hisses, spitting, moaning, hideous
to hear — and then I saw —
Never, were ages to pass over my head, shall I forget
the horrible apparition. It was the Ape Gigans, the ante-
diluvian Gorilla ! Fourteen feet high, covered with coarse
hair, of a blackish brown, it advanced. Its arms were as
long as its body, while its legs were prodigious. It had
thick, long, and sharply-pointed teeth — like a mammoth
saw. It struck its breast as it came on smelling and snif-
fing, reminding me of the stories we read in our early
childhood of giants who ate the flesh of men and little
boysl
Suddenly it stopped. My heart beat wildly, for I was
conscious Uiat, somehow or other, the fearful monster had
smelt me out and was peering about with his hideous eyes
to try and discover my whereabouts. I gave myself up few
lost. No hope of safety or escape seemed to remain.
At this moment, just as my eyes appeared to close in
death, there came a strange noise from the entrance of
the cave; and turning, the Gorilla evidently recognized
some enemy more worthy his prodigious size and strength.
It was the huge Shark-Crocodile, which perhaps having
disposed of my friends, was coming in search of further
prey.
The Gorilla placed himself on the defensive, and clutch-
ing a bone some seven or eight feet in length, a perfect
club, aimed a deadly blow at the hideous beast, which
reared upwards and fell with all its weight upon its ad-
versary. A terrible combat ensued. The struggle was
awful and ferocious. I, however, did not wait to witness
the result. Regarding myself as the object of contention,
I determined to remove from the presence of the victor.
I slid down from my hiding-place, reached the ground,
and gliding against the wall, strove to gain flie open mouth
of the cavern. But I had not taken many steps when tlie
fearful clamor ceased, to be followed by a mumMing and
groaning which appeared to be indicative of victory.
I looked back and saw the huge ape, gory with blood,
coming after me with glaring eyes, with dilated nostrils
that gave forth two columns of heated vapor. I could
THE APE GIGANS 189
feel his hot and fetid breath on my neck ; and with a horrid
jump— awoke from my nightmare sleep.
Yes— it was all a dream. I was still on the raft with
my uncle and the guide.
The relief was not instantaneous, for under the influence
of the hideous nightmare my senses had become numbed.
After a while, however, my feelings were tranquilized.
The first of my perceptions which returned in full force
was that of hearing. I listened with acute and attentive
ears. All was still as death. All I comprehended was
silence. To the roaring of the waters, which had filled the
gallery with awful reverberations, succeeded perfect peace.
After some little time my imcle spoke, in a low and
scarcely audible tone — " Harry, boy, where are you ? *'
• " I am here," was my faint rejoinder.
" Well, don't you see what has happened ? We are go-
ing upwards."
"My dear uncle, what can you mean?" was my half
delirious reply.
" Yes, I tell you we are ascending rapidly. Our down-
ward journey is quite checked."
I held out my hand, and, after some little difficulty,
succeeded in touching the wall. My hand was in an in-
stant covered with blood. The skin was torn from the
flesh. We were ascending with extraordinary rapidity.
"The torch — ^the torch!" cried the Professor, wildly;
" it must be lighted." Hans, the guide, after many vain
efforts, at last succeeded in lighting it, and the flame, hav-
ing now nothing to prevent its burning, shed a tolerably
clear light We were enabled to form an approximate idea
of the truth.
" It is just as I thought," said my uncle, after a moment
or two of silent attention. " We are in a narrow well about
four fathoms square. The waters of the great inland sea,
having reached the bottom of the gulf, are now forcing
themselves up the mighty shaft As a natural consequence,
we are being cast up on the summit of the waters."
" That I can see," was my lugubrious reply ; " but where
will this shaft end, and to what fall are we likely to be
exposed ? "
" Of that I am as ignorant as yourself. All I know is,
that we should be prepared for the worst. We are going
190 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
up at a fearfully rapid rate. As far as I can judge, we girc
ascending at the rate of two fathoms a second, of a hun-
dred and twenty fathoms a minute, or rather more than
three and a half leagues an hour. At this rate, our fate
will soon be a matter of certainty."
" No doubt of it/' was my reply. " The great concern I
have now, however, is to know whether this shaft has any
issue. It may end in a granite roof — in which case we
shall be suffocated by compressed air, or dashed to atoms
against the top. I fancy, already, that the air is beginning
to be close and condensed. I have a difficulty in breath-
ing." This might be fancy, or it might be the effect of our
rapid motion, but I certainly felt a great oppression of the
chest
" Henry," said the Professor, " I do believe that the sit-
uation is to a certain extent desperate. There remain, how-
ever, many chances of ultimate safety, and I have, in my
own mind, been revolving them over, during your heavy
but agitated sleep. I have come to this logical conclusion —
whereas we may at any moment perish, so at any moment
we may be saved! We need, therefore, to prepare our-
selves for whatever may turn up in the great chapter of
accidents."
"But what would you have us do?" I cried; "are we
not utterly helpless? "
** No! While there is life there is hope. At all events,
there is one thing we can do— eat, and thus obtain strength
to face victory or death."
As he spoke, I looked at my uncle with a haggard glance.
I had put off the fatal communication as long as possible.
It was now forced upon me, and I must tell him the truth.
Still I hesitated. " Eat," I said, in a deprecating tone as if
there were no hurry.
" Yes, and at once. I feel like a starving prisoner," he
said, rubbing his yellow and shivering hands together.
And, turning round to the guide, he spoke some hearty,
cheering words, as I judged from his tone, in Danish.
Hans shook his head in a terribly significant manner. I
tried to look unconcerned.
" What! " cried the Professor, " you do not mean to say
that all our provisions are lost ? "
" Yes," was my lowly spoken reply, as I held out some-
THE APE GIGANS 191
thing in my hand, " this morsel of dried meat is all that
remains for us three."
My imcle gazed at me as if he could not fully appreci-
ate the meaning of my words. The blow seemed to stun
him by its severity. I allowed him to reflect for some mo-
ments.
" Well," said I, after a short pause, " what do you think
now? Is there any chance of our escaping from our hor-
rible subterranean dangers ? Are we not doomed to perish
in the great hollows of the Center of the Earth? "
But my pertinent questions brought no answer. My
uncle either heard me not, or appeared not to do so. And
in this way a whole hour passed. Neither of us cared to
speak. For myself, I began to feel the most fearful and
devouring hunger. My companions, doubtless, felt the
same horrible tortures, but neither of them would touch the
wretched morsel of meat that remained. It lay there a
last remnant of all our great preparations for the mad and
senseless journey!
I looked back, with wonderment, to my own folly. Fully
was I aware that, despite his enthusiasm, and the ever-to-be-
hated scroll of Saknussemm, my uncle should never have
started on his perilous voyage. What memories of the
happy past, what previsions of the horrible future, now
filled my brain !
CHAPTER XLI
HUNGER
Hunger, prolonged, is temporary madness! The brain
is at work without its required food, and the most fantastic
notions fill the mind. Hitherto I had never known what
hunger realy meant. I was likely to understand it now
only too well.
After dreaming for some time, and thinking of this and
other matters, I once more looked around me. We were
still ascending with fearful rapidity. Every now and then
the air appeared to check our respiration as it does that of
aeronauts when the ascension of the balloon is too rapid.
But if they feel a degree of cold in proportion to the eleva-
tion they attain in the atmosphere, we experienced quite a
192 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
contrary eflFect. The heat began to increase in a most
threatening and exceptional manner. I cannot tell exactly
the mean, but I think it must have reached 122 degrees of
Fahrenheit.
What was the meaning of this extraordinary change in
the temperature? As far as we had hitherto gone, facts
had proved the theories of Davy and of Lidenbrock to be
correct. Until now, all the peculiar conditions of refrac-
tory rocks, of electricity of magnetism, had modified the
general laws of nature, and had created for us a moderate
temperature; for the theory of the central fire, remained,
in my eyes, the only explainable one.
Were we, then, going to reach a position in which these
phenomena were to be carried out in all their rigor, and
in which the heat would reduce the rocks to a state of fu-
sion ? Such was my not unnatural fear, and I did not con-
ceal the fact from my uncle. My way of doing so might
be cold and heartless, but I could not help it. " If we are
not drowned, or smashed into pancakes, and if we do not
die of starvation, we have the satisfaction of knowing that
we must be burned alive."
My uncle, in presence of this brusque attack, simply
shrugged his shoulders, and resumed his reflections — ^what-
ever they might be.
An hour passed away, and except that there was a slight
increase in the temperature no incident modified the situa-
tion. My uncle at last, of his own accord, broke silence.
** Well, Henry, my boy," he said, in a cheerful way, " we
must make up our minds."
"Make up our minds to what?" I asked, in consider-
able surprise.
"Well — to something. We must at whatever risk re-
cruit our physical strength. If we make the fatal mistake
of husbanding our little remnant of food, we may prob-
ably prolong our wretched existence a few hours — ^but we
shall remain weak to the end."
" Yes," I growled, " to the end. That, however, will not
keep us long waiting."
" Well, only let a chance of safety present itself,— only
allow that a moinent of action be necessary, — where shall
we find the mean3 of action if we allow ourselves to be
reduced to physical weakness by inanition? "
v. II Verne
1
HUNGER • 193
'* When this piece of meat is devoured^ tmde, what hope
will there remain unto us ? **
" None, my dear Henry, none. But will it do you any
good to devour it with your eyes? You aj^iear to me to
reason like one without will or decision, like a being with-
out energy."
" Then," cried I, exasperated to a degree which is scarcely
to be explained, " you do not mean to tell me — that you—
that you — ^have not lost all hope."
" Certainly not," replied the Professor, with consummate
coolness.
" You mean to tell me, uncle, that we shall get out of
this monstrous subterranean shaft?" '
"While there is life there is hope. I beg to assert,
Henry, that as long as a man's heart beats, as long as a
man's flesh quivers, I do not allow that a being gifted with
thought and will can allow himself to despair.
What a resolution ! The man placed in a position like
that we occupied must have been very brave to speak like
this. " Well," I cried, " what do you mean to do? "
" Eat what remains of the food we have in our Hands ;
let us swallow the last crumb. It will be, heaven willing,
our last repast. Well, never mind — instead of being ex-
hausted skeletons, we shall be men."
" True," muttered I in a despairing tone, " let us take
our fill."
" We must," replied my uncle, with a deep «gK — ^ call
it what you will." My uncle took a piece of the meat that
remained, and some crusts of biscuit which had escaped
the wreck. He divided the whole into three parts. Each
had one pound of food to last him as long as he remained
in the interior of the earth.
Each now acted in accordance with his own private char-
acter. My uncle, the Professor, ate greedily, but evidently
vdthout appetite, eating simply from some mechanical mo-
tion. I put the food inside my lips, and hungry as I was,
chewed my morsel without pleasure, and without satis-
faction. Hans the guide, just as if he had been eider-down
himting, swallowed every mouthful, as though it were a
usual affair. He looked like a man equally prepared to
enjoy superfluity or total want. Hans, in all probability,
was no more used to starvation than ourselves, but his hardy
194 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
Icelandic nature had prepared him for many sufferings.
As long as he received his three rix-doUars every Saturday
night, he was prepared for anything. The fact was, Hans
never troubled himself about much except his money. He
had undertaken to serve a certain man at so much per week,
and no matter what evils befell his employer or himself,
he never found fault or grumbled, so long as his wages
were duly paid.
Suddenly my uncle roused himself. He had seen a smile
on the face of our guide. I could not make it out " What
is the matter ? " said my imcle.
" Schiedam," said the guide, producing a bottle of this
precious fluid.
We drank. My uncle and myself will own to our dying
day that hence we derived strength to exist imtil the last
bitter moment. That precious bottle of Hollands was in
reality only half- full; but, under the circumstances, it was
nectar. The worthy Professor swallowed about half a pint
and did not seem able to drink any more. " Fortrafflig''
said Hans, swallowing nearly all that was left.
"Excellent — very good," said my uncle, witH as much
gusto as if he had just left the steps of the club at
Hamburg.
I had begim to feel as if there had been one gleam of
liope. Now all thought of the future vanished ! We had
consumed our last otmce of food, and it was five o'clock
in the morning !
CHAPTER XLH
THE VOLCANIC SHAFT
Man's constitution is so peculiar, that his health is purely
a negative matter. No sooner is the rage of hunger ap-
peased, than it becomes difficult to comprehend the meaning
of starvation. It is only when you suffer that you really
understand. As to anyone who has not endured privation
having any notion of the matter, it is simply absurd- With
us, after a long fast, some mouthfuls of bread and meat, a
little mouldy biscuit and salt beef triumphed over all our
previous saturnine thoughts.
Nevertheless, after this repast each gave way to his own
THE VOLCANIC SHAFT 195
reflections. I wondered what were those of Hans — ^the
man of the extreme north, who was yet gifted with the
fatalistic resignation of Oriental character. But the ut-
most stretch of the imagination would not allow me to
realize the truth. As for my individual self, my thoughts
had ceased to be anything but memories of the past, and
were all connected with that upper world which I never
should have left. I saw it all now, the beautiful house in
the Konigstrasse, my poor Gretchen, the good Martha ; they
all passed before my mind like visions of the past. Every
time any of the lugubrious groanings which were to be
distinguished in the hollows around fell upon my ears, I
fancied I heard the distant murmur of tiie great cities
above my head.
As for my tincle, always thinking of his science, he
examined the nature of the shaft by means of a torch. He
closely examined the different strata one above the other,
in order to recognize his situation by geological theory.
This calculation, or rather this estimation, could by no
means be anything but approximate. But a learned man,
a philosopher, is nothing if not a philosopher, when he
keeps his ideas calm and collected; and certainly the Pro-
fessor possessed this quality to perfection.
, I heard him, as I sat in silence, murmuring words of
geological science. As I understood his object and his
meaning, I could not but interest myself despite my pre-
occupation in that terrible hour. " Eruptive granite," he
said to himself, " we are still in the primitive epoch. But
we are going up— going up, still going up. But who
knows ? Who Imows ? "
Then he still hoped. He felt along the vertical sides
of the shaft with his hand, and some few minutes later, he
would go on again in the following style — " This is gniess.
This is mocashites — silicious mineral. Good again; this
is the epoch of transition, at all events, we are close to them
— ^and then, and then "
What could the Professer mean? Could he, by any
conceivable means, measure the thickness of the crust of
the earth suspended above our heads? Did he possess any
possible means of making any approximation to this cal-
culation ? No. The manometer was wanting, and no sum-
mary estimation could take the place of it
196 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
As we progressed, the temperature increased in the most
extraordinary degree, and I began to feel as if I were
bathed in a hot and burning atmosphere. Never before
had I felt anything like it. I could only compare it to the
hot vapor from an iron foundry, when the Uquid iron is in
a state of ebullition and runs over. By degrees, and one
after the other, Hans, my uncle, and myself had taken off
our coats and waistcoats. They, were unbearable. Even
the slightest garment was the cause of extreme suffering.
" Are we ascending to a living fire ? ** I cried ; when, to
my horror and astonishment, the heat became greater than
before.
** No, no," said my uncle, " it is simply impossible, quite
impossible."
" And yet," said I, touching the side of the shaft with
my naked hand, ** this wall is literally burning."
At this moment, feeling as I did that the sides of this
extraordinary wall were red hot, I pltmged my hands into
the water to cool them. I drew them h^ck with a cry of
despair. " The water is boiling ! " I cried.
My uncle, the Professor, made no reply other than a
gesture of rage and despair. Something very like the
truth had probably struck his imagination.
An invincible dread took possession of my brain and
soul. I could only look forward to an immediate catas-
trophe, such a catastrophe as not even the most vivid imag-
ination could have thought of. An idea, at first vague and
uncertain, was gradually being changed into certainty. It
was so terrible an idea that I scarcely dared to whisper it
to myself. Yet all the while certain, and as it were, in-
voluntary observations determined my convictions. By the
doubtful glare of the torch, I could make out some singular
changes in the granitic strata; a strange and terrible phe-
nomenon was about to be produced, in which electricity
played a part. Then this boiling water, this terrible and
excessive heat? I determined as a last resource to exam-
ine the compass.
The compass had gone mad ! Yes, wholly staric, staring
mad. The needle jumped from pole to pole with sudden
and surprising jerks, ran round, or as it is said, boxed the
compass, and then ran suddenly back again as if it had tiie
vertigo.
4(
THE VOLCANIC SHAFT 197
Terrible detonations, like heaven's artillery, began to
multiply themselves with fearful intensity. I could only
compare them with the noise made by hundreds of heavily-
laden chariots being madly driven over a stone pavement
It was a continuous roll of heavy thtmder.
And then the mad compass, shaken by the wild electric
phenomena, confirmed me in my rapidly-formed opinion.
The mineral crust was about to burst, the heavy granite
masses were about to rejoin, the fissure was about to close,
the void was about to be filled up, and we poor atoms to
be crushed in its awful embrace I " Uncle, uncle I '* I cried,
we are wholly, irretrievably lost I "
What, then my young friend, is your new cause of
terror and alarm? " he said, in his calmest manner. ** What
fear you now ? "
" What do I fear now I *' I cried, in fierce and angry
tones. ** Do you not see that the walls of the shaft are in
moticm? do you not see that liie solid granite masses are
cracking? do you not feel the terrible, torrid heat? do
you not observe the awful boiling water on which we float?
do you not remark this mad needle? every sign and por-
tent of an awful earthquake? "
My uncle coolly shook his bead " An earthquake ? *' he
questioned in the most calm and provoking tone.
" Yes."
" My nephew, I tell you that you are utterly mistaken,''
he continued.
" Do you not, can you not» recognize all the well-known
symptoms "
'^Of an earthquake? by no means. I am expecting
something far more important."
"My brain is strained beyond endurance — ^what, what
do you mean ? " I cried.
" An eruption, Harry."
"An eruption," I gasped. "We are, then, in the vol-
canic shaft of a crater in full action and vigor."
" I have every reason to think so," said the Professor in
a smiling tone, " and I beg to tell you that it is the most
fortunate thing that could happen to us."
The most fortunate thing! Had my uncle really and
truly gone mad? What did he mean by these awful words
— ^what did he mean by this terrible cafan, this solemn smile?
198 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
" What ! " cried I, in the height of my exasperation, " we
are on the way to an eruption, are we? Fatality has cast
us into a well of burning and boiling lava, of rocks on fire,
of boiling water, in a word, filled with every kind of erup-
tive matter? We are about to be expelled, thrown up,
vomited, spit out of the interior of the earth, in common
with huge blocks of granite, with showers of cinders and
scoriae, in a wild whirlwind of flame, and you say — ^the
most fortunate thing which could happen to us."
" Yes," replied the Professor, looking at me calmly from
imder his spectacles, " it is the only chance which remains
to us of ever escaping from the interior of the earth to the
light of day."
It is quite impossible that I can put on paper the thou-
sand strange, wild thoughts which followed this extraor-
dinary announcement But my uncle was right, quite
right, and never had he appeared to me so audacious and
so convinced as when he looked me calmly in the face and
spoke of the chances of an eruption — of our being cast
upon mother earth once more through the gaping crater
of a volcano !
While we were speaking we were still ascending; we
passed the whole night going up, or to speak more scien-
tifically, in an ascensional motion. The fearful noise re-
doubled ; I was ready to suflfocate. I seriously believed that
my last hour was approaching, and yet, so strange is imag-
ination, all I thought of was some childish hypothesis or
other. In such circumstances you do not choose your own
thoughts. They overcome you.
It was quite evident that we were being cast upwards by
eruptive matter; under the raft there was a mass of boil-
ing water, and under this was a heaving mass of lava, and
an aggregate of rocks which on reaching the summit of
the water would be dispersed in every direction. That we
were inside the chimney of a volcano there could no longer
be the shadow of a doubt. Nothing more terrible could
be conceived!
But on this occasion, instead of Sneffels, an old and ex-
tinct volcano, we were inside a mountain of fire in full
activity. Several times I found myself asking, what moun-
tain was it, and on what part of the world we should be
shot out As if it were of any consequence ! In the north-
THE VOLCANIC SHAFT 199
em regions, there could be no reasonable doubt about that.
Before it went decidedly mad, the compass had never made
the slightest mistake. From the cape of Saknussemm, we
had been swept away to the northward many htmdreds of
leagues. Now the question was, were we once more under
Iceland — should we be belched forth on to the earth through
the crater of Moimt Hecla, or should we reappear through
one of the other seven fire-fimnels of the island? Taking
in my mental vision a radius of five hundred leagues to the
westward, I could see under this parallel only the little-
known volcanoes of the northwest coasts of America. To
the east one only existed somewhere about the eightieth
degree of latitude, the Esk, upon the island of Jean Mayen,
not far from the frozen regions of Spitzbergen. It was
not craters that were wanting, and many of them were big
enough to vomit a whole army ; all I wished to know was
the particular one towards which we were making with such
fearful velocity. I often think now of my folly; as if I
should have expected to escape I
Towards morning, the ascending motion became greater
and greater. If the degree of heat increased instead of
decreasing, as we approached the surface of the earth, it
was simply because the causes were local and wholly due
to volcanic influence. Our very style of locomotion left in
my mind no doubt upon the subject 'An enormous force,
a force of some hundred of combined atmospheres pro-
duced by vapors accumulated and long compressed in the
interior of tiie earth, were hoisting us upwards with irre-
sistible power.
But though we were approaching the light of day, to
what fearful dangers were we about to be exposed? In-
stant death appeared the only fate which wc could expect
or contemplate.
Soon a dim, sepulchral light penetrated the vertical
gallery, which became wider and wider. I could make
out to the right and left long dark corridors like immense
ttmnels, from which awful and horrid vapors poured out.
Tongues of fire, sparkling and crackling, appeared about
to lick us up. The hour had come !
"Look, uncle, lookl '* I cried.
"Well, what you see are the great sulphurous flames.
Nothing more common in connection with an eruption."
200 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
" But if they lap us round I '* I angrily replied.
" They will not lap us round," was his quiet and serene
answer.
'* But it will be all the same in the end if diey stifle us/'
I cried.
" We shall not be stifled. The gallery is rapidly be-
ccmiing wider and wider, and if.it be necessary, we will
presently leave the raft and take refuge in some fissure in
the rock/'
" But the water^ the water, which is continually ascend-
ing ? " I despairingly replied.
" There is no longer any water, Harry," he answered,
" but a kind of lava paste, which is heaving us tq>, in com-
pany with itself, to the mouth of the crater."
In truth, the liquid column of water had wholly disap-
peared to give place to dense masses of boiling eruptive
matter. The temperature was becoming utterly insup-
portable, and a * thermometer exposed to this atmosphere
would have marked between 189 and 190 degrees Fahren-
heit Perspiration ruslied from every pore. But for the
extraordinary rapidity of our ascent we should have been
stifled.
Nevertfieless, the Professor did not carry out his propo-
siticxi of abandoning the raft; and he did quite wisely.
Those few ill-joined beams offered, any way, a solid sur-
face — a support which elsewhere must have utterly
failed us.
Towards eight o'clock in the morning a new incident
startled us. The ascensional movement suddenly ceased.
The raft became still and motionless. " What is the mat-
ter now ? " I said, querulously, very much startled by this
change.
" A simple halt," replied my uncle.
" Is the eruption about to fail ? " I asked.
" I hope not."
Without making any reply, I rose. I tried to look
around me. Perhaps the raft, checked by some projecting
rock, opposed a momentary resistance to the eruptive mass.
In this case, it was absolutely necessary to release it as
quickly as possible.
Notfiing of the kind had occurred. The column of
cinders, of scorise, of broken rocks and earth, had wholly
THE VOLCANIC SHAFT 201
ceased to ascend. " I tell you, unde, that the eruption has
stopped/' W2LS my oracular decision.
"Ah/* said my uncle, "you think so, my boy. You
are wrong. Do not be in the least alarmed; this sudden
moment of calm will not last long, be assured. It has al-
ready endured five minutes, and before we are many min-
utes older we shall be continuing our jotuney to the mouth
of the crater.'*
All the time he was speaking the Professor continued to
consult his chronometer, and he was probably right in his
prognostics. Soon the raft resumed its motion, in a very
rapid and disorderly way, which lasted two minutes or
thereabout; and tiien again it stopped as suddenly as be-
fore. "Good/* said my unde, observing tiie hour, "in
ten minutes we shall start again.**
**In ten minutes?**
** Yes — ^precisely. We have to do with a volcano, the
eruption of which is intermittent We are compelled to
breathe just as it does.**
Nothing could be more true. At the exact minute he
had indicated, we were again launched on high with ex-
treme rapidity. Not to be cast off the raft, it was neces-
sary to hold on to the beams. Then the hoist again ceased.
Many times since hare I thought of this singular phenome-
non without being able to find for it any satisfactory ex-
planation. Nevertheless, it appeared quite clear to me,
that we were not in the principal chimney of the volcano,
but in an accessory conduit, where we felt the counter
shock of the great and principal tunnel filled by burning
lava.
It is impossible for me to say how many times this ma-
neuver was repeated. All that I can remember is, that
on every ascensional motion, we were hoisted up with ever-
increasing velocity, as if we had been launched from a
huge projectile. During the sudden halts we were nearly
stifled; during the moments of projection the hot air took
away our breath.
I thought for a moment of the voluptuous joy of sud-
denly finding myself in the hyperborean regions with the
cold 30 degrees below zero! My exalted imagination pic-
tured to itself the vast snowy plains of the arctic regions,
and I was impatient to roll myself on the icy carpet of tlie
. >
202 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
north pole. By degrees my head, utterly overcome by a
series of violent emotions, began to give way to hallucina-
tion. I was delirious. Had it not been for the powerful
arms of Hans the guide, I should have broken my head
against the granite masses of the shaft.
I have, in consequence, kept no account of what followed
for many hours. I have a vague and confused remem-
brance of continual detonations, of the shaking of the huge
granitic mass, and of the raft going round like a spinning
top. It floated on the stream of hot lava, amidst a falling
cloud of cinders. The huge flames roaring, wrapped us
around.
A storm of wind which appeared to be cast forth from
an immense ventilator roused up the interior fires of the
earth. It was a hot incandescent blast !
At last I saw the figure of Hans as if enveloped in the
huge halo of burning blaze, and no other sense remained
to me but that sinister dread which the condemned victim
may be supposed to feel when led to the mouth of a can-
non, at the supreme moment when the shot is fired and his
limbs are dispersed into empty space.
CHAPTER XLIII
DAYUGHT AT LAST
When I opened my eyes I felt the hand of the guide
clutching me firmly by the belt. With his other hand he
supported my uncle. I was not grievously wounded, but
bruised all over in the most remarkable manner. After a
moment I looked around, and f otmd that I was lying down
on the slope of a mountain not two yards from a jrawning
gulf into which I should have fallen had I made the slight-
est false step. Hans had saved me from death, while I
rolled insensible on the flanks of the crater.
" Where are we?" dreamily asked my uncle, who liter-
ally appeared to be disgusted at having returned to earth.
The eider-down hunter simply shrugged his shoulders as
a mark of total ignorance.
" In Iceland ? " I replied, not positively but interroga-
tively.
'Nej'' said Hans.
«
DAYLIGHT AT LAST 203
" How do you mean ? " cried the Professor ; " no— what
are your reasons ? "
" Hans is wrong," said I, rising.
After all the innumerable surprises of this journey, a
yet more singular one was reserved to us. I expected to
see a cone covered by snow, by extensive and wide-spread
glaciers, in the midst of the arid deserts of the extreme
northern regions, beneath the full rays of a polar sky, be-
yond the highest latitudes. But contrary to all oiu* ex-
pectations, I, my uncle, and the Icelander, were cast upon
the slope of a mountain calcined by the burning rays of a
sun which was literally baking us with its fires. I could
not believe my eyes, but the actual heat which aflfected my
body allowed me no chance of doubting. We came out of
the crater half naked, and the radiant star from which we
had asked nothing for two months, was good enough to be
prodigal to us of light and warmth — a light and warmth
we could easily have dispensed with.
When our eyes were accustomed to the light we had lost
sight of so long, I used them to rectify the errors of my
imagination. Whatevjer happened, we should have been
at Spitzbergen, and I was in no humor to yield to anything
but the most absolute proof.
After some delay, the Professor spoke. "Hem!" he
said, in a hesitating kind of way, " it really does not look
like Iceland."
"But supposing it were the island of Jean Mayen?" I
ventured to' observe.
" Not in the least, my boy. This is not one of the vol-
canoes of the north, with its hills of granite and its crown
of snow."
" Nevertheless—^—"
"Look, look, my boy," said the Professor, as dogmat-
ically as usual. Right above our heads, at a great height,
opened the crater of a volcano from which escaped, from
one quarter of an hour to the other, with a very loud ex-
plosion, a lofty jet of flame mingled with pumice stone,
cinders, and lava. I could feel the convulsions of nature
in the mountain, which breathed like a huge whale, throw-
ing up from time to time fire and air through its enormous
vents.
Below, and floating along a slope of considerable angu-
204 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
larity, the stream of eruptive matter spread away to a
depth which did not give the volcano a height of three hun-
dred fathoms. Its base disappeared in a perfect forest of
green trees, among which I perceived olives, fig trees, and
vines loaded with rich grapes. Certainly this was not the
ordinary aspect of the Arctic regions. About that there
could not be the slightest doubt
When the eye was satisfied at its glimpse of this verdant
expanse it fell upon the waters of a lovely sea or beautiful
lake, which made of this enchanted land an island of not
many leagues in extent Towards the setting sun, some
distant shores were to be made out on the edge of the
horizon. In one place appeared a prodigiously lofty cone,
above the summit of which htmg dark and heavy clouds.
'' Where can we be ? " I asked, speaking in a low and
solemn voice.
Hans shut his eyes with an air of indifference, and my
uncle looked on without clearly understanding. "What-
ever this mountain may be,"' he said, at last, " I must con-
fess it is rather warm. The explosions do not leave off,
and I do not think it is worth while to have left the inte-
rior of a volcano and remain here to receive a huge piece
of rock upon one's head. Let us carefully descend the
mountain and discover the real state of the case. To con-
fess the truth, I am dying of hunger and thirst"
Decidedly the Professor had ceased to be a truly reflec-
tive character. For myself, forgetting all my necessities,
ignoring my fatigues and sufferings, I should have re-
mained still for several hours longer — ^but it was necessary
to follow my companions.
The slope of the volcano was very steep and slippery;
we slid over piles of ashes, avoiding the streams of hot
lava which glided about like fiery serpents. Still, while we
were advancing, I spoke with extreme volubility, for my
imagination was too full not to explode in words. ** We
are in Asia! " I exclaimed; " we are on the coast of India,
in the great Malay islands, in the center of Oceana. We
have crossed the one half of the globe to come out right
at the antipodes of Europe ! "
" But the compass ! " exclaimed my uncle ; " explain that
to me ! "
"Yes — the compass," I said, with considerable hesita-
DAYLIGHT AT LAST 205
tion. " I grant that is ia difficulty. According to it, wc
have always been going northward."
" Then it lied."
** Hem — ^to say it lied is rather a harsh word," was my
ianswer.
" Then we are at the north pole "
" The pole — ^no— well — ^well, I give it up," was my reply.
The plain truth was, that there was no explanation possi-
ble. I could make nothing of it.
All the while we were approaching this beautiful ver-
dure, hunger and thirst tormented me fearfully. Hap-
pily, after two long hours' march, a beautiful country spread
out before us, covered by olives, pomegranates, and vines,
which appeared to belong to anybody and everybody. In
the state of destitution into which we had fallen, we were
not particular to a grape.
[What delight it was to press these delicious fruits to our
lips, and to bite at grapes and pomegranates fresh from the
vine. Not far off, near some fresh and mossy grass, under
the delicious shade of some trees, I discovered a spring of
fresh water, into which we voluptuously laved our faces,
hands, and feet
While we were all giving way to the delights of new-
found pleasures, a little child appeared between two tufted
olive trees. " Ah," cried I, " an inhabitant of this happy
country."
The little fellow was poorly dressed, weak and suffering,
iand appeared terribly ilarmed at our appearance. Half-
naked, with tangled, matted and ragged beards, we did look
supremely ill-favored ; and unless tiH country was a bandit
land, we were not unlikely to alarm the inhabitants !
Just as the boy was about to take to his heels, Hans ran
iafter him, and brought him back, despite his cries and
kicks. My tmcle tried to look as gentle as possible, and
then spoke in German. " What is the name of this moun-
tain, my friend?"
The child made no reply.
" Good," said my uncle, with a very positive air of con-
viction, "we are not in Germany." He then made the
same demand in English, of which language he was an
excellent scholar.
The child shook its head and made no reply.
2o6 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
" Is he dumb ? " cried the Professor, who was rather
proud of his polyglot knowledge of languages, and making
the same demand in French. The boy only stared in his
face.
"I must perforce try him in Italian/' said my uncle,
with a shrug. " Dove not siamo? ''
" Yes, tell me where we are ? " I added, impatiently and
eagerly.
Again the boy remained silent
" My fine fellow, do you or do you not mean to speak ? "
cried my uncle, who began to get angry. He sl^ook him
and spoke another dialect of the Italian language. '' Come
si noma questa isolaf '' — ^what is the name of this island?
" Stromboli," replied the rickety little shepherd, dashing
away from Hans and disappearing in the olive groves.
Stromboli! What eflfect on the imagination did these
few words produce ! We were ;n the center of the Mediter-
ranean; amid the Eastern archipelago of m)rthological
memory; in the ancient Strongylos, where iEolus kept the
wind and the tempest chained up. And those blue moun-
tains, which rose towards the rising of the sun, were the
moimtains of Calabria. And that mighty volcano which
rose on the southern horizon was Etna, the fierce and cele-
brated Etna!
" Stromboli I Stromboli ! " I repeated to myself. My
uncle played a regular accompaniment to my gestiu"es and
words. We were singing together hke an ancient chorus.
Ah— what a journey — what a marvelous and extraordinary
journey! Here we had entered the earth by one volcano,
and we had come out by another. And this other was situ-
ated more than twelve hundred leagues from Sneffels, from
that drear country of Iceland cast away on the confines of
the earth. The wondrous chances of this expedition had
transported us to the most harmonious and beautiful of
earthly lands.
After a delicious repast of fruits and fresh water, we
again continued our journey in order to reach the port of
Stromboli. To say how we had reached the island would
scarcely have been prudent. The superstitious character
of the Italians would have been at work, and we shotdd
have been called demons vomited from the infernal regions.
It was therefore necessary to pass for humble and unfor-
~}
DAYLIGHT AT LAST . 207
tunate shipwrecked travelers. It was certainly less strik-
ing and romantic, but it was decidedly safer.
As we advanced, I could hear my worthy uncle mutter-
ing to himself — -"But the compass. The compass most
certainly marked north. This is a fact I cannot explain
in any way.*'
" Well, the fact is,'* said I, with an air of disdain, " we
must not explain anything. It will be much more easy."
" I should like to see a professor of the Johanneum Insti-
tution, who is unable to explain a cosmic phenomenon — ^it
would indeed be strange." And speaking thus ; my uncle,
half -naked, his leathern purse round his loins, and his spec-
tacles upon his nose, became once more the terrible Pro-
fessor of Mineralogy..
An hour after leaving the wood of olives, we reached
the fort of San Vicenza, where Hans demanded the price
of his thirteenth week of service. My tmde paid him, with
many warm shakes of the hand.
At that moment, if he did not indeecj quite share our
natiual emotion, he allowed his feelings so far to give way
as to indulge in an extraordinary expression for him.
tWith the tips of two fingers he gently pressed our hands
and smiled.
CHAPTER XLIV
THE JOURNEY ENDED
This is the final conclusion of a narrative which will be
probably disbelieved even by people who are astonished at
nothing. I am, however, armed at all points against hu-
man incredulity.
We were kindly received by the Strombolite fishermen,
who treated us as shipwrecked travelers. They gaye us
clothes and food. After a delay of forty-eight hours, on
the 31st of September a little vessel took us to Messina,
where a few days of delightful and complete repose re-
stored us to ourselves.
On Friday, the 4th of October, we embarked in the F(?/-
turus, one of the postal packets of the Imperial Messagerie
of France; and three days later we landed at Marseilles,
having no other care on our minds but that of our precious
2o8 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
but erratic compass. This inexplicable circumstance tor-
mented me terribly. On the 9th of October, in the even-
ing, we reached Hamburg.
What was the astonishment of Martha, what the joy of
Gretchen ! I will not attempt to define it. " Now, tiien,
Harry, that you really are a hero," she said, " there is no
reason why you should ever leave me again." I looked at
her. She was weeping tears of joy.
I leave it to be imagined if the return of Professor
Hardwigg made or did not make a sensation in Hamburg.
Thanks to the indiscretion of Martha, the news of his de-
parture for the Interior of the Earth had been spread
over the whole world. .
No one would believe it — ^and when they saw him come
back in safety tliey believed it all the less. But the pres-
ence of Hans and many stray scraps of information by
degrees modified public opinion. Then my unde became
a great man, and I the nephew of a great man; whiqh, at
all events; is something. Hamburg gave a festival in our
honor. A! public meeting of the Johanneum Institution
was held, at which the Professor related the whole story
of his adventures, omitting only the facts in connection
with the compass.
That same day he deposited in the archives of the town
the document he had found, written by Saknussemm, and he
expressed his g^eat regret tliat circumstances, stronger than
his will, did not allow him to follow the Icelandic traveler's
track into the very Center of the Earth. He was modest
in his glory, but his reputation only increased.
So much honor necessarily created for him many envi-
ous enemies. Of course they existed, and as his theories,
supported by certain facts, contradicted the system of
science upon the question of central heat, he maintained
his own views both with pen and speech against the learned
of every cotmtry. Although I still believe in the theory
of central heat, I confess that certain circumstances, hith-
erto very ill defined, may modify the laws of such natural
phenomena.
At the moment when these questions were being dis-
cussed with interest, my uncle received a rude shock — one
that he felt very much. Hans, despite everything he could
say to the contrary, quitted Hamburg; the man to whom
v. II Verne
THE JOURNEY ENDED 209
we owed so mudi would not alloiy tis to pay our deep debt
of gratitude. He was taken with nostalgia ; a love for his
Icelandic home. '' Farvell' said he, one day, and with this
one short word of adieu, he started for Reykjawik, ]Mrhich
he soon reached in safety.
We were deeply attached to our brave eider-dudc hunter.
His absence will never cause him to be forgotten by diose
whose lives he saved, and I hope, at some; not distant day,
to see him again.
To conclude, I may say that our Journey into the Inte-
rior of the Earth created an enormous sensation throughout
the civilized world. It was translated and printed in many
languages. All the leading journals published extracts
from it, which were commentated, discussed, attacked, and
supported with equal animation by those Who believed in
its episodes, and by those who were utterly incredulous.
Wonderful 1 My uncle enjoyed during his lifetime all
the glory he deserved ; andHie was even oflFered a large sum
of money, by Mr. Barnum, to exhibit himself in the United
States; while I am credibly informed by a traveler that
he is to be seen in waxwork at Madame Tussaud's !
But one care preyed upon his mind, a care whicK ren-
dered him very unhappy. One fact remained inexplicable
— ^that of the compass. For a learned man to be baffled
by such an inexplicable phenomenon was very aggravating.
But heaven was merciful, and in the end my uncle was
happy. One day, while he put some minerals belonging to
his collection in order, I fell upon the famous compass and
examined it keenly. For six months it had lain unnoticed
and untouched. I looked at it with curiosity, which soon
became surprise. I gave a loud cry. The Professor, who
was at hand, soon joined me.
" What is the matter? " he cried.
" The compass ! '*
"What then?'*
" Why, its needle points to tte south and hof to the
north."
" My dear boy, you must be dreaming.*'
" I am not dreaming. See the poles are changed."
"Changed!"
My uncle put on his spectacles, examined the instrument,
and leaped with joy, shaking the whole house. A clear
light fell upon our minds.
210 TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
" Here it is ! " he cried, as soon as he had recovered the
use of his speech. "Our error is now easily explained.
But to what phenomenon do we owe this alteration in the
needle!"
" Nothing more simple.*'
" Explain yourself, my boy. I am on thorns."
"During the storm, upon the Central Sea, the ball of
fire which made a magnet of die iron in our raft, turned
our compass topsy-turvy."
"Ah!" cried the Professor, with a loud and ringing
laugh, " it was a trick of that inexplicable electricity."
From that hoiu* my uncle was the happiest of learned
men, and I the happiest of ordinary mortals. For my
pretty Virland girl, abdicating her position as ward, took
her place in the house in Konigstrasse in the double quality
of niece and wife. We need scarcely mention that her
unde was the illustrious Professor Hardwigg, correspond-
ing member of all the scientific, geographical, mineralog-
ical and geological societies of the five quarters of the globe.
THE END
1
Adventures of Captain Hatteras
BOOK I
The English at the North Pole
The English at the
North Pole
CHAPTER I
THE ** FORWARD "
D-MORROW, at ebb tide, the brig Forward
will sail from the New Prince's Docks, cap-
tain K. Z.; chief officer, Richard Shandon;
destination unknown*"
Such was the announcement which ap*
peared in the Liverpool Herald of April 5,
i860.
The departure of a brig is not a very important event
for one of the largest trading ports in England. Indeed,
who would notice it among the crowd of ships, of every
tonnage and every nation, which the long miles of floating
docks can scarcely contain ; and yet from an early hour on
the morning of April 9th, numbers of people began to
assemble on the wharf. The whole maritime population of
Liverpool seemed to agree to congregate there, and not only
the sailors, but all classes, came flocking thither. The dock
laborers left their work, the city clerks Sieir dingy counting-
houses, and the shopkeepers Uieir deserted shops. Omni-
bus after omnibus set down its load of passengers outside
the dock walls, till the entire city appeared to have turned
out to see the Forward sail
The Forward was a brig of 170 tons, fitted up with a
screw propeller and an engine of 120-horse-power. She
might easily have been confounded with other brigs in port
by the ordinary onlooker, and yet to the practiced eye of
a sailor there were certain peculiarities about her which
made her unmistakable, as appeared from the conversation
of a group of men assembled on the deck of the Nautiltis,
a vessel lying dose by. They were eagerly discussing the
probable destination of the Forward, and each ont had his
own conjecture.
213
214 AT THE NORTH POLE
"What do you think of her masts?" said one "It
certainly ain't usual for steamships to have such large
sails/'
" Depend upon it," said a broad, red- faced quartermaster,
"that yon craft reckons more on her masts than her en-
gine. She hasn't all that topsail for nothing. To me it is
dear enough the Forward is bound for the Arctic or Ant-
arctic Seas, where great ice mountains shut out the :wind
rather more than suits a strong, brave ship."
"You must be right. Master Comhill," said a third
sailor; "and have you noticed the bow, what a straight
line it makes to the sea ? "
" Ay I and more than that, it is sheathed with cast-steel
as sharp as a razor, which would cut a three-decker in
two if tihe Forward fell foul of it sideways at full speed,"
replied Comhill.
" That it would," added a Mersey pilot, " for she can
make fourteen knots an hour easily with her screw. It was
wonderful to see how she cut through the water on her
trial trip. Take my word for it, she's a good runner, and
no mistake."
" Besides," said Comhill, " do you see the size of the
helm-post ? "
" Yes ; but what does that prove ? "
" That proves, my boys," said Comhill, in a disdainful,
self-satisfied manner, "that you can neither see nor think;
that proves that it was a great matter to give full play to
the rudder, a very necessary thing in the frozen seas of
the north."
" Right, right," said the sailors.
" And, what's more," continued one of them, " the load-
ing of the ship confirms your opinion. I had it from Clif-
ton, who is one of her men, that she is taking provisions
for five years, and coals too. That is all the cargo; noth-
ing but coals and provisions, and great bales of woolen
clothing and seal-skins."
" That settles it, of course," replied Comhill. " But you
say you know Qifton — ^hasn't he told you where they ar«
going?"
" He doesn't know himself ; he is in perfect ignorance.
All the crew have been engaged like tfiat Where he's
going, he'll hardly know himself before he's there."
' ^1^
THE FORWARD 215
" It looks to me very much as if they were all going to
Old Nick," said an incredulous listener.
"And did you ever hear of such wages?" continued
Qif ton's friend, " Five times more than the common pay I
Ay, if it hadn't been for that, Dick Shandon wouldn't have
found a man to sign the articles. To make a voyage in
such a queer-looking ship, botind for nobody knows where,
and coming back nobody knows when — I must confess it
wouldn't suit me."
" It doesn't matter much whether it would or not, old
fellow, for you couldn't go; they wouldn't have you on
board the Forward/' said Comhill.
"Pray, why not?"
" Because you can't meet one of the conditions required.
I am told that all married men are ineligible, so you are
shut out"
"There's so much bounce about the brig altogether,"
Comhill went on, " even down to the very name, the For-
ward. Forward where to? And then there is no cap-
tain!"
"Yes, there is," said a frank, boyish-looking young
sailor.
" What I a captain has turned up ? "
Yes, a captain."
You are fancying, youngster, that Shandon is the cap-
tain," said Comhill.
" But I tell you," retumed the lad, " that "
" And I tell you," intermpted Comhill, " that Shandon
is the mate and nothing more. He is a brave hardy sailor,
an old hand in whaling expeditions, and a thorough good
fellow, quite fit to be captain, but captain he is not, any
more tfian you or I. He doesn't even know who is to take
the command. At the right time the real captain is to
make his appearance, but when that is to be, or in what
part of the world, no one knows, for Shandon has not
said, nor is he allowed to reveal the ship's destination."
" All that may be. Master Comhill," replied the young
sailor, " But I assure you that at this very moment there
is someone on board, someone whose arrival was an-
nounced in the very letter which contained the offer to Mr.
Shandon of chief officer's berth ! "
" What ! " retorted Comhill, frowning angrily at the
it
€€
€t
2i6 AT THE NORTH POLE
audacicms joungster. ''Do you dare to stand out diat
there is a captain on board?"
Yes, certainly, Master Comhill."
You say that to my face I "
Of course I do ; I had it from Johnson, one of the offi<
c^s on board"
^* From Mr. Johnson? '•
** Yes, he told me himself."
'* Johnson told you, did he ? "
" He not only told me, but showed me the captain."
'' Showed you the captain I " repeated ComhiU in blank
amaze.
" Yes ! he showed me the captaip."
"And you really saw him?"
" Yes! with my own eyes."
'* And who is it, pray? "
•* It is a dog."
•'A dog?"
"A dog with four feet?"
"Yes!"
The sailors of the Nautilus seemed stupefied. Under
any other circumstances, such a declaration would have
provoked sjiouts of laughter. The idea of a dog being
captain of a brig of 170 tons. It was too ludicrous. But
there was something altogether so extraordinary about Ais
Forward that one need think twice before den)nng or even
ridiculing the boy's assertion, and instead of laughing,
Comhill said gravely:
" So it was Johnson who introduced you to this novel
sort of a captain, and you actually saw him ? "
" As plain as I see you."
" Well, Comhill, what do you think of that? " asked Ac
sailors, eagerly.
"I think nothing," replied Comhill, roughly, "except
that the Forward eiAer belongs to Ae devil, or to some
fools let loose from Bedlam ! "
The crew continued silently gazing at Ae wonderful
brig, watching Ae final preparations for departure, but not
one among Aem dared to say, or even so much as pretended
to believe, Aat Johnson had been only making a fool of the
boy, and imposing on his credulity.
The story of Ae dog had already got abroad, and more
/
/
THE FORWARD 217
than one among the crowds that thronged the quays sought
to catch a glimpse of this dog-captain, half-believing him
supernatural.
Besides, for many months past the Forward had been
attracting public attention. The peculiarities about her
build, the mystery hanging over her, tiie incognito pre-
s^red by the captain, the ^ange way in which Shandon
bad received his appointment, the special care taken in
selecting the crew, and the unknown destination — all com-
bined to invest her with a singular diarm of rcmiance.
The Forward had been constructed at Birkenhead by
Messrs. Scott & Co., one of the most famous shipbuilders
in England. The firm had received from Richard Shan-
don a minute plan, detailing every particular as to tonnage
and dimensions, and also a sketch drawn with the greatest
care, and evidently the production of a practiced seaman.
As considerable sums were forthcoming, the work was
commenced at once, and proceeded with as rapidly as
possible.
The brig was characterized by tiie utmost solidity. She
was evidently intended to resist enormous pressure, for the
frame was not only made of teak-wood — sl sort of oak
which grows in India, and is remarkable for its extreme
hardness — but was finnly bound together by strong iron
bars. It Was indeed a matter of surprise among the sea-
faring population that frequented the building yard, why
the entire hull was not sheet iron like most steamers, and
many inquiries were put to the shipwrights, but all the
answer received was that they were obeying orders.
By slow degrees the brig began to take shape on the
stocks, and connoisseurs were struck by the elegance and
strength of her proportions. As the crew of tfie Nautilus
had remariced, the stem made a right angle with the keel.
It had no breakhead, but a sharp edge of cast steel made
in the foundries of R. Hawthorn, at Newcastle. This
metal prow glittering in the sun, gave a peculiar look to
the ship, though there was nothing absolutely warlike about
it. However, there was a cannon of 16 lbs. caliber
mounted on the forecastle, on a pivot, to allow of its being
easily pointed in all directions; and yet, in spite of both
stem and cannon, the vessel was not the least like a ship
intended for battle.
2i8 AT THE NORTH POLE
On the Sth of February the Forward was ready, and
made a successful launch in the presence of an immense
crowd of spectators.
The day after the launch, the engine arrived from New- i
castle, from the works of Messrs. Hawthorn, This engine,
of 120-horsepower, and provided with oscillating cylinders,
was of considerable size for a brig of 170 tons, but did
not take up much room. As soon as it was placed on
board, the work of provisioning began, and no easy matter
it was to stow away food for six years. The stores con-
sisted principally of salted and smoked meat, dried &h,
biscuit and flour, mountains of coffee and tea were thrown
into the hold in a perfect avalanche. Richard Shandon
superintended personally the storage of this precious cargo,
arranging it like a man who understood his business.
Everything was numbered and labeled and disposed in the
most orderly manner. A large quantity of pemmican was
also taken on board, an Indian preparation, which contains
much nourishment in small bulk.
The nature of the provisions left no doubt as to the
length of the cruise; and to an observing eye, there was
none as to the ship's destination, at the sight of those bar-
rels of lime-juice, and lumps of chalk, and packets of
mustard, and sorrel, and cochlearia seed; in other words,
the abundance of anti-scorbutic preparations proved that
the Forward was bound for the Polar Seas. Shandon
had no doubt received special orders about this part of the
cargo, for he paid studious att.mtion to it, and also fitted
up the medicine chest with the most scrupulous care.
The stock of firearms wa^ not great, a reassuring fact
to timid people, but on the other hand, the powder-magazine
was full to overflowing. What was it intended for?
Thert was far moi'e than one solitary cannon could possibly
use. Then there were also enormous saws, and other pow-
erful instruments, such as levers, hand-saws, heaps of
bullets, immense hatchets, not to speak of a goodly nuniber
of blasting cylinders, the explosion of which would have
blown the Custom House at Liverpool into the air. It
was all very strange, if not alarming, even without taking
into account the fusees, and signals, and fireworks of dl
descriptions.
The boats too were objects of great curiosity to the gap-
THE FORWARD 219
ing crowd that hung about the New Prince's Docks. There
was a canoe made of tinned iron, covered with gutta-percha,
a long mahogany whaling-boat, and a number of halkett-
boats or india-rubber closes, which could be converted into
canoes by inflating the lining.
The Forward was certainly altogether a most mysterious,
puzzling vessel, and people grew quite excited about her,
now that the hour for sailing had come.
CHAPTER n
THE UNEXPECTED LETTER
Eight months prior to the time when our story com-
mences, Richard Shandon had received the following
letter :
" Aberdeen, 'Aug. 2nd, 1859.
** Sir, — ^This letter is to inform you that a sum of f 16,000
sterUng has been placed in the hands of Messrs. Marcuart
& Co., bankers, Liverpool. I also enclose checks signed by
me, which you can draw on the said bankers up to the above-
mentioned amount.
" You do not know me. It matters not. I know you.
That is the most important thing.
" I offer you the place of chief officer on board the brig
Forward, bound for an expedition which may be long and
perilous.
" If you refuse, that is all about it; if you accept, your
salary will be £500, to be raised one-tenth each year you
are away. ^ '
"The brig Forward has at present no existence. You
will have to get her built, and ready to go to sea by the
beginning of April at the latest.
" I subjoin a detailed plan and a draft, to which you
will scrupulously adhere. The ship is to be constructed
by Messrs. Scott & Co., who will arrange matters
with you.
" I beg you will pay special attention to the selection of
the crew of the Forward. This will consist of the captain,
myself, the chief officer, yourself, a second mate, a boat-
swain, two engineers, an ice-master, eight sailors, and two
stokers— eighteen men altogether, including Dr. Claw-
22a AT THE NORTH POLE
bonny, of your city, who will introduce himself K> you at
the right time.
" It is necessary that all the men chosen for the expedi-
tion of the Forward shall be English, unencumbered by
family ties, unmarried, sober, as neither beer nor spirits are
allowed on board, and ready for any enterprise and any
suffering. Give the preference to those of sanguine tem-
perament, who possess a great amount of animal heat
" You will offer them five times as much as the ordinary
wages, with an increase of one-tenth each year of service.
At the close of the expedition £500 is guaranteed to each
man and £2,000 to yourself. These deposits will be left
with Messrs. Marcuart & Co., the aforesaid bankers.
** The campaign will be long and arduous, but honorable.
You need have no hesitation about it, Mr. Shandon.
"Reply to me by letter, addressed to K. Z., Poste
restante, Gotteborg, Sweden.
" P. S. — On the isth of February next you will be for-
warded a large Danish stag-hound with loose hanging lips,
very dark in color, and striped with black. You will taSce
him on board, and order him to be fed with barley bread
mixed with boiled greaves. You will notify his safe arrival
to me at Leghorn, Italy, addressed to the same initials.
" The captain of the Forward will present himself, and
make himself known when he is required. You will re-
ceive further instructions just before you sail.
" K. Z., Captain of the Forward.
" To Mr. Richard Shandon, Liverpool."
CHAPTER III
DR. CLAWBONNY
Richard Shandon was a good sa36r znd 9 man of
established reputation. He had been in command of
whalers for years, and was familiar with the Arctic Sms.
A letter like the foregoing did not consequently astonish
him so much as might have been expected. Astonished
he certainly was, but in a cool, composed sort of fashion,
like a man who has received similar communications be-
fore. He was in a position, too, to meet the required con-
ditions. He had neither wife, nor child, nor relatives ; he
DOCTOR CLAWBONNY mi
was free, in all respects. So having no one to consult, he
went straight off to the bankers, Messrs. Marcuart & Co.,
for " if the money is there," he said to himself, " the rest
is all right"
The money was there sure enough, for Shandon was
received by the firm with all respect due to a man who
has £16,000 quietly waiting for him in their strong chest;
so without loss of time he called for pen and ink, and wrote
a letter in a large sailor-like hand, to the address given,
signifying his acceptance of the offered trust.
That very same day he put himself in communication
with the shipbuilders at Birkenhead, and twenty-four hours
after, the keel of the Forward was planted on the stocks
in their building-yard.
Richard Shandon was about forty years of age, a robust,
brave, energetic fellow — ^three qualifications necessary to a
sailor, for they impart self-reliance, vigor, and sangfroid.
He got the character of being jealous and difficult to get on
with, one who had made his men fear him, but never
gained their love. This did not interfere, however, with
his getting a crew, for he was too well known as a skillful
leader to have any trouble in finding men to follow him.
Shandon was rather afraid, though, that, the mysterious
nature of the enterprise would cripple his movements, and
determined to noise it abroad as little as possible. " That's
my best plan," he said to himself, " for those old ferrets
would be down on me, who must know the why and the
wherefore of everything, and as I am quite ignorant my-
self, I should be rather at a loss for an answer. This
K. Z. is a queer old fellow, and no mistake, but, after all,
what docs that matter? He knows me, and reckons on
me, and that is enough. As to the ship, she will turn
out a beauty, and my name is not Richard Shandon, if
she is not meant for the frozen seas. But I'll keep that
secret to myself and my officers."
Shandon's next business was to pick out his men in ac-
cordance with the rules laid down by the captain. He
knew a fine active young fellow, called Wall, who was
thirty years of age, a capital sailor, and who had been more
than one voyage to the North Seas. He offered him the
post of second mate, and James Wall accepted it blindfold,
for all he cared for was being on the ocean, and the des-
222 AT THE NORTH POLE
tination mattered little. Shandon told him the whole story,
however, from beginning to end, both to him and to a sailor
named Johnson, whom he chose as boatswain.
" Not much luck to be had there/' said James Wall ;
** But still perhaps as much there as anjrwhere else. Even
if it is to find tl^e North- West passage, people come back
alive, right enough."
" Not always," said Johnson ; " but that's no reason for
not going."
" Besides, supposing we are right in our conjectures,"
added Shandon, " we must allow we could hardly make a
voyage under more favorable circumstances. The For-
ward will be a first-rate ship, and her steam-engine will be
a great help. All we want is eighteen men."
"Eighteen men?" replied Johnson; "that is the same
/ number the American Dr. Kane had on board when he
made his famous journey towards the Pole."
"It is singular enough, certainly," said Wall, "what
can induce a private individual to cross the sea again,
from Davis's Straits to Behring's Straits. The Franklin
Expeditions have cost England more than £760,000, with-
out producing any practical result. Who can be fool
enough to throw away his own fortune into the bargain
like this?"
" Don't forget, James, though," replied Shandon, " that
we are reasoning on a mere supposition. Whether we are
actually going to the North or the South Seas, I know no
more than you. Perhaps, indeed, it is on some new quest
altogether. Moreover, there is a Dr. Qawbonny to make
his appearance some of these days, who will no doubt be
commissioned to give us fuller infownation. We shall see
all in good time." """^
" Ay ! we must just wait," said Johnson, " And, mean-
time, I am going to make it my business to look after right
men to go with us ; and as to their having plenty of animal
heat in them, FU guarantee that before hand. You may
safely leave that to me."
This Johnson was a valuable man, well acquainted with
the northern latitudes. He had been quartermaster on
board the Phoenix, one of the vessels despatched in search
of Franklin in 1853. The brave fellow had accompanied
Lieutenant Bellot in his journey across the ice, and been
DOCTOR CLAWBONNY 223
eye-witness of his death. Johnson knew the whole sea-
faring population of Liverpool, and set to work im-
mediately to select his crew
He was so effectually aided by Shandon and Wall, that
by the beginning of December the number was complete.
But the task had not been easy; many had been attracted
by the tempting pay offer, but had not courage to risk the
imknown expedition, while more than one who had
bravely pledged himself to go, came and retracted his word
and gave back his advance note, having been dissuaded by
his friends from so hazardous an undertaking. All, of
course, wished to penetrate the mystery, and so pressed
Shandon with questions that he was obliged to refer
them to Johnson, who gave the same unvarying answers
to each.
"What is it you want me to tell you, old boy?" he
would say. " I know no more than you do. Anyhow,
you'll be in good company, with jolly fellows who know
what they're about. That's something, isn't it? So be
quick and make up your mind — ^take it or leave it ! "
Sometimes he would add, " My only difficulty is which
to choose, for such high wages as you are offered you will
find plenty to jump at them. Not a man among you ever
heard of such pay being given before."
"Well, it certainly is a great temptation; we should
get enough to live on all the rest of our days," said the
sailors.
" I don't conceal from you," continued Johnson, " that
the expedition will be a long one, and full of hardship and
danger. That is formally told us in our instructions, so
let us have a clear understanding, that each man may know
what he undertakes; he commits himself, in all probability
to attempt all that is, hiunanly speaking, possible, and per-
haps even more. If you haven't a brave heart, then, and
an iron constitution, or if you can't look the certainty in
the face that there are twenty chances to one against your
ever returning, you had better be off, and leave the berth
for somebody less chicken-hearted."
"But at least tell us who the captain is," was the re-
joinder.
"The captain is Richard Shandon, his friend, till he
introduces you another."
224 AT THE NORTH POLE
Now, to speak the trutfi, Richanl thought this himself,
and quietly indulged the hope that, at the last moment, he
would receive definite instructions about the V03rage, and
have entire command placed in his hands.
Shandon and Johnson had implicity obeyed the injunc-
tions given for choosing the crew. They were all fresh
and florid looking, full of energy and pluck, and having
caloric enough in them to heat the engine almost ; in fact,
the very men to stand extreme cold. In outward appear-
ance, certainly, they were not all equally strong; and two
or three among them, especially two sailors called Gripper
and Garry, and Simpson the harpooner, Shandon alnK>st
hesitated to take, for they belonged to " Pharaoh's lean
kine," but they were well-built, and their circulation was
good, so their names were entered.
The whole crew were Protestants, belonging to the same
religious denomination. It was a matter of some impor-
tance that the men should think alike, as far as creed was
concerned, to prevent party strife; for it has been always
found in long voyages that assembling the men for reading
the Scriptures and common prayer is a powerful means of
promoting harmony, and of cheering them in hours of de-
spondency. Shandon knew by experience- the excellent
moral effect of such practices, as they are invariably
adopted on board all vessels that winter in Arctic re-
gions.
The next business of Shandon and his officers was the
provisioning of the ship. In doing this they strictly fol-
lowed the instructions of the captain — instructions so clear,
precise, and minute, that the quantity and quality were
given of even the smallest article. Ready money was paid
for everything, and a discount of eight per cent, received,
which Richard carefully put to the credit of K. Z.
Crew, provisions, and cargo were all ready by January,
i86o. The Forward was rapidly assuming prc^rtions,
and Shandon never let a day pass without a visit to Birken-
head, to see how things went on. On the 23rd of that sMFie
month, he was going across as usual in one of the large
steamers that ferry passengers over the Mersey. It was
one of those foggy mornings when you can scarcely sec
your hand before you ; but, in spite of the obscurity, Shan-
don could make out the figure of some stranger advancing
V. n Venre
DOCTOR CLAWBONNY »s
towards him, and as he got nearer, saw it was a little stout
man, with a bright jovial face and kindly eye, who came
up, and seizing both his hands, shook them so heartily in
his own, in such an impulsive, familiar, free-and-easy style,
that a Frenchman would have said he came from the sunny
south.
But though the new comer was not a Southerner, he
made a narrow escape of it, for he was full of talk and
gesticulation, and seemed as if he would explode unless he
came out with all he thought His small intellectual eyes
and large mobile mouth were safety-valves to let out the
steam, and he talked and talked so incessantly that Shan-
don was fairly overpowered. He made a shrewd guess,
however, who this voluble little man was, and, taking ad-
vantage of a momentary pause, managed to say, " Doctor
Clawbonny, I presume?"
"Himself in person, my good sir. Here I have been
seeking you for a whole quarter of an hour, and asking
everybody for you everywhere. Only imagine my impa-
tience! Five minutes more, and I should have lost my
wits. It is really then Richard Shandon I see. You
actually exist? you're not a myth? Your hand, your
hand, that I may grasp it in mine. Yes, it is a genuine
flesh and blood hand, and there is a veritable Richard
Shandon. Well, come, if there's a chief officer, there must
be a brig called the Forward that he commands; and if he
commands she is going to sail, and if she's going to sail
she will take Dr. Clawbonny on board."
" Yes, Doctor, surely. There is a brig called the For-
ward, and she is going to sail, and I am Richard Shandon.**
" That's logic," said the Doctor, drawing a long breath,
"that's logic, and I am overjoyed to hear it, for now I
have reached the summit of my ambition. I have waited
long, and wished to go a voyage; and now with you to
command "
" Allow me," interrupted Shandon.
But Qawbonny took no notice, and went on, ** With you ;
we are sure of pushing onward, and never yielding an
inch of our ground."
" But, sir," began Shandon again.
" You are a tried man, sir ; you have seen service. You
have a right to be proud."
226 AT THE NORTH POLE
If you will please allow me to-
No, I will not allow your skill, and bravery, and hardi-
hood to be underrated even by you. The captain who has
chosen you for his chief officer knows his man, I'll be
boimd."
"But that's not the question," said Shandon, impa-
tiently,
" Well, and what is the question, then ? Don't keep me
in suspense, pray."
"You won't let me speak. Please to tell me, Doctor,
how you came to join in the expedition of the Forward/^
" Well, it was through a letter which I have here from
the brave captain, a very laconic one, though it says all
that is necessary."
And drawing the said letter out of his pocket, he handed
it to Shandon, who read as follows: —
Inverness, Jan. 22nd, i860.
"If Dr. Qawbonny is willing to embark in the brig
Forward, let him present himself to the chief officer, Rich-
ard Shandon, who has received orders concerning him."
" The Captain of the Forward, K. Z.
"To Dr. Qawbonny, Liverpool."
" The letter came this morning, and here I am ready to
go on board."
" But, at any rate," said Shandon, " you know where we
are going, I suppose ? "
" Not I ; but what does it matter to me, so long as I go
somewhere? People call me a learned man, but they are
much mistaken. I know nothing, and if I happen to have
published some few books which sell pretty well, they are
not worth anything, and it is very good of the people to
buy them, I know nothing, I tell you, except that I am
an ignoramus. Now I have a chance of completing, or
rather recommencing, my studies in medicine, in surgery,
in history, in geography, in botany, in mineralogy, in
conchology, in geodesy, in chemistry, in natural philosophy,
in mechanics, in hydrography. Well, I accept the offer,
and don't need much pressing, I assure you."
"Then you know nothing about the destination of the
Forward?'* said Richard, in a disappointed tone.
" I know this much, Mr. Shandon, that she is going
where there will be much to learn and discover, and much
\
DOCTOR CLAWBONNY 227
to instruct us, for we shall come across other nations with
different customs from our own; she is going, in short,
where I have never been."
" But you know notiiing more definite than that?" ex-
claimed Shandon.
" I have heard some talk of her going to the North Seas.
So much the better if we are bound for the Arctic"
"But don't you know the captain?" asked Shandon
agatn.
" Not at all; but he is a brave fellow, you may be sure."
By this time the steamer had arrived at Birkenhead, and
Clawbonny and Shandon landed on the pier, and at once
repaired to the shipbuilding-yard. The sight of the brig
almost made the little doctor beside himself with joy, and
he went subsequently every day to look at her on the
stocks.
He made his abode with Shandon, and undertook the
arrangement of the medicine-chest, for he was a duly quali-
fied doctor and a clever man, though rather unpractical.
At twenty-five years of age he was just an ordinary sur-
geon, but at forty he was a learned man, well known
throughout the whole city, and a leading member of the
Literary and Philosophical Institute of Liverpool. He
possessed a small private fortune, which enabled him to
practice gratuitously in a great many cases, and his ex-
treme amiability made him universally beloved. He never
did an injury to a single human being, not even to himself.
Lively and rattling as he was, and an incessant talker, he
had an open heart and hand for everybody.
As soon as the news of his appointment to the Forward
spread through the city, his friends besieged him with so-
licitations to remain at home. But their arguments and
entreaties only made him more determined to go, and
when the little man once got a crotchet in his brain no one
could turn him from it
On the 5th of February the Forward was launched, and
two months later she was ready to go to sea.
Punctually to the time, on the very day fixed for his
coming by the captain's letter, a large Danish dog made
his appearance, sent by rail from Edinburgh to Richard
Shandon's address. He was an ill-favored, snappish, un-
sociable animal, with a peculiar expression in his eye. A
2j8 at the north pole
brass collar round his neck bore the name of the ship, and
he was installed on board the same day, and a letter de-
spatched to Leghorn to inform the captain of his safe ar-
rival.
The crew of the Forward was now complete, with the
exception of the captain. It numbered the following in-
dividuals: I. The Captain, K. Z. 2. The Chief Officer.
3. The Second Officer, James Wall. 4. Doctor Qaw-
bonny. 5. Johnson, the boatswain. 6. Simpson, the har-
pooner. 7. Bell, the carpenter. 8. Brunton, the chief
engineer. 9. Plover, the second engineer. 10. Strong, a
colored man, the cook. 11. Foker, the ice-master. 12.
Wolsten, the gtmsmith. 13. Bolton, sailor. 14. Garry,
sailor. 15. Qifton, sailor 16. Gripper, sailor. 17. Pen,
sailor. 18. Warren, stoker.
CHAPTER IV
THE DOG-CAPTAIN
The sth of April brought the sailing day. Dt. Qaw-
bonny's coming on board somewhat reassured people's
minds, for where the learned Doctor went it must be safe
to follow; but still the sailors seemed so restless and un-
easy, that Shandon longed to be fairly out at sea, for
he did not feel sure of any of them till they had lost
sight of land.
Dr. Qawbonnjr's cabin was on the poop, which took up
all the stem of the vessel. The captain's cabin and the
chief officer's were on either side, overlooking the deck.
The captain's remained hermetically closed after being fur-
nished according to his written directions, and the key, as
he ordered, was sent to him at Lubeck, so that no one could
enter but himself.
This was a great vexation to Shandon, as it damped his
ambitious hopes of getting sole command. In fitting up
his own cabin, he took for granted they were going to the
Arctic, and knowing, as he did, so thoroughly all Aat was
required, he left nothing wanting.
The cabin of the second mate was in the forecastle,
where the men slept — a large, roomy place, witii a stove in
the center, and every accomodation, for the sailors were
THE DOG-CAPTAIN 229
treated as precious cargo on this vessel, and well provided
for.
Dr, Clawbonny looked after himself, and he had had
plenty of time, as he had taken possession of his cabin since
the 5th of February, the day tfie Forward was launched.
**The happiest of the animals," he said, "would be a
snail, who could make a shell to his own liking, and I mean
to be an intelligent snaiL"
And truly his shell did him credit, for the Doctor took
a perfect delight in arranging his scientific treasures. His
books, and herbals, and cases, and mathematical instru-
ments; his thermometer, and barometers, and hygrometers,
and udometers; his glasses, and compasses, and sextants;
and maps and charts; and phials, and powders, and medi-
cine-bottles — all were arranged and classified with an
amount of order that might have shamed the British Mu-
seum. Inestimable riches were stored up in that small
space of six feet square, and it must be owned the good
Doctor was not a little proud of his sanctum, though three
of his least corpulent friends would have sufficed to crowd
it tmcomfortably.
To complete the description of the Forward it need only
f tuther be said that the dogVkennel was built right below
the window of the mysterious cabin, but its savage inmate
preferred wandering between decks and in the hold. It
seemed impossible to make him sociable, nobody could do
anything with him, and in the night his piteous howls
would resound through the whole vessel.
What was the reason? Covld it be grief for his absent
master? or was it instinctive fear of the voyage? or did it
bode approaching danger. This last was the common opin-
ion among the sailors, and many a one jdced over it who
verily believed the poor dog was an imp of the devil.
Pen, a coarse brutal fellow at all times, rushed so fu-
riously at the beast one day that he fell right against the
capstan, and split his head open frightfully. Of course
this accident was laid to the " uncanny dog's accoimt"
Qifton was the most superstitious of all the crew, and
he made the singular discovery, that whenever the animal
was promenading the deck he went to the side the wind
was, changing his position as the ship tacked, just as if he
had been the captain.
230 AT THE NORTH POLE
Dr. Clawbonny was so gentle and winning that he would
have tamed a tiger, but all his attempts to get into this
dog's good graces were in vain.
Besides, the animal would answer to none of the names
borne by his canine brethren, so in the end he got called
" Captain," for he appeared perfectly familiar with ship
life. This was certainly not his first voyage, and more
than one of the sailors fully expected to see him some day
suddenly assume the human form, and begin giving orders
in a stentorian voice.
Richard Shandon had no apprehensions on that score,
though he had anxieties enough of another nature, and the
night before sailing he had a long confidential talk on the
subject with the Doctor and his two officers.
The four sat comfortably together in tlie saloon indulg-
ing themselves with a glass of grog — 3, farewell glass, for,
in accordance with the instructions received from Aber-
deen, every man on board, from the captain down to the
stoker, must be a total abstainer; that is to say, neither
wine, nor beer, nor spirits would be allowed on board, ex-
cept in case of illness, or when ordered by the doctor.
For more than an hour they had been talking over the
departure of the ship next day, for if the captain's words
were verified, the morning would bring a letter containing
final instructions.
" I hope," said Shandon, " that if this letter doesn't give
us the name of the captain, it will tell us at least the des-
tination of the ship, or how shall we know which way to
steer?"
" Goodness me 1 " exclaimed the impatient doctor, " were
I in your place I should be off even if no letter came; it will
find its way to us by hook or by crook, I'll warrant."
" You stick at nothing. Doctor. But pray, how should
we direct our course then ? "
"Towards the North Pole, most assuredly. That's a
matter of course ; it doesn't admit of a doubt."
" Not admit of a doubt! " said Wall; " and why not to-
wards the South Pole ? "
"The South Pole! Never! Would the captain ever
dream of exposing a brig to all the difficulties of crossing
the broad Atlantic?" said the Doctor.
" You say go to the North," continued Shandon, " but
THE DOG-CAPTAIN 231
•
that's a wide word. Is it to be to Spitzbergen, or Green-
land, or Labrador, or Hudson's Bay? It is true enough
that all these routes lead to the same impassable fields of
ice; but that doesn't remove the necessity of choosing one
or other, and I should be greatly puzzled to decide upon
which. Can you help me, Doctor? "
" No," replied the loquacious little man, vexed at having
no answer ready. " But the question is just this, if you
don't get a letter, what will you do ? "
" I shall do nothing; I shall wait."
" You won't sail ! " cried Clawbonny, aghast at the pos-
sibility.
" No, not I."
"That's the wisest way," said Johnson, quickly, while
the Doctor rose, and began pacing the floor, for he was
too agitated to sit still. " Yes, that's the wisest way, and
yet too great delay might be attended with bad conse-
quences. In the first place, this is a good time of the year ;
and if North it is to be, we ought to take advantage of the
breaking up of the ice to get past Davis's Straits. Then,
again, tfie men are getting more restless every day; their
friends and old shipmates are constantly urging them to
leave the Forward; and if we wait much longer we may find
ourselves in a pretty fix."
" That's quite true," added James Wall; " and if once a
panic got amongst the crew, they would desert to a man,
and I very mudi doubt if you would succeed in getting
fresh hands."
" But what's to be done, then ? " asked Shandon.
"Just what you said," replied the Doctor, "wait; but
wait till to-morrow before you begin to despair. Every
one of the captain's promises have been kept hitherto, and
there is no ground for believing that we shall not be told
where we're going when the right time comes. For my
own part, I have not the slightest doubt that we'll be in
full sail to-morrow in the Irish Sea, so I vote that we have
one more glass of grog, and drink to our safe voyage. It
certainly has a rather mysterious beginning, but, witfi such
sailors as you, a thousand chances to one but we'll have a
prosperous ending."
"And now, sir, if I may give you my advice," said
Johnson, " I would give orders to be ready to sail to-mor-
232 AT THE NORTH POLE
row, that the crew may not imagine there is any uncertainty.
To-morrow, whether a letter comes or not, I would wei^
anchor. Don't light the fires, for the wind bids fair to
keep steady, and we shall be aUe to get out easily with the
tide. Let the pilot come on board and we'll get over to
Birkenhead, and cast anchor off the point. This will cut
us off from communication with the snore, and yet be near
enough to allow of this wonderful letter reaching us, should
it arrive after all."
" That's well spoken, my good Johnson," said the Doc-
tor, holding out his hand to the old tar.
" Well, so be it, then," said Shandon, " and now good-
night." They each retired to their respective cabins, but
were too excited to sleep much, and were up again by sun-
rise.
The morning letters had all been delivered, but not one
came for Richard Shandon. Still he went on with his
preparations for sailing, and, as we have seen, the news had
spread over Liverpool and brought together an tmusual
concourse of spectators. Many came on board to give a
farewell embrace to a friend, or a last entreaty not to go,
and some to gratify their curiosity by looking over the ves-
sel, and trying once more to discover its real destination.
But they found the chief officer more taciturn and reserved
than ever, and went off grumbling.
Ten o'clock struck, and eleven; at one o'clock the tide
would turn. Shandon stood on the poop gazing with un-
easy troubled looks at the crowd.
It was a cloudy day and the waves were dashing high
outside the basin, for there was a pretty strong south-east
wind blowing, but this could not prevent them getting easily
out of the Mersey,
Twelve o'clock struck and no letter. Dr. Qawbonny
began to walk impatiently up and down, staring about
through his eye-glass, and gesticulating in the most ex-
cited manner. Shandon bit his lips silently till the blood
came.
Presently Johnson came up to him iand said, " If we are
to sail with this tide, sir, we have no time to lose; for it
will take us a full hour to get out of the docks."
Shandon threw a last look round, consulted his watch,
and said briefly, " Go."
THE DOG-CAPTAIN 233
This monosyllabic reply was enough for Johnson. He
gave immediate orders for all visitors to go ashore, and the
sailors began to haul in the ropes. There was a simul-
taneous rush towards the side of the vessel. The general
confusion which ensued was greatly increased by the furious
yelling of the dog, and reached a climax when the animal
made one sudden bound from the forecastle right into the
midst of the crowd, who fled before him right and left.
He gave a loud deep bark, and jumped on the poop, carry-
ing a letter between his teeth. Incredible as the fact may
appear, it could be confirmed by at least a thousand eye-
witnesses.
" A letter ! " exclaimed Shandon. " Then he is on
board."
''He has been, there is no doubt, but he is not now,"
replied Johnson, pointing to the dedc, vrtiich was quite
dear of all strangers.
" Captain ! Captain I " called the Doctor, trying to take
the letter out of his mouth; but the dog resisted stoutly,
and was evidently determined to give the message to none
but the right party.
"Here, Captain!" shouted Shandon; and at once the
beast sprang forward and passively allowed him to with-
draw the anxiously-expected missive, giving three loud,
clear barks, which were distinctly heard amid the profound
silence on the ship and on the quay.
Shandon held the letter in his hand without opennig it,
till the Doctor exclaimed, impatiently, " Do, pray, read it"
The letter bore no postmark, and was simply addressed,
" To the Chief Officer, Richard Shandon, on board the brig
Forward/' Shandon opened it, and read as follows : —
"You will steer your course towards Cape Farewell.
You will reach it on the 20th of April. If the captain does
not come on board, you will go through Davis's Straits,
and up Baffin's Bay to Melville Bay.
" The captain of the Forward.
" K. Z."
Shandon carefully folded up this laconic epistle, put it
in his pocket, and gave orders to sail
The Forward was soon out of the basin, and, guided by
a Liverpool pilot, got into the Mersey, the crowd hurrpng
along the Victoria Docks to have a last glimpse as she
234 AT THE NORTH POLE
passed by. The fore and mainsails were soon hoisled, and
the brig, with a speed worthy of her name, rounded Birken-
head Point, and glided swiftly away into the Irish Sea.
CHAPTER y
OUT AT SEA
The wind was favorable, though very variable, and full
of sudden squalls, and the Forward cut her way rapidly
through the waves. At five o'clock the pilot gave up his
charge into Shandon's hands, jumped into the boat, and
was soon out of sight.
Johnson was right. Once fairly out at sea, there was
no more trouble with the sailors. They fell into regular
ways at once, and in their admiration of the ship's good
qualities, forgot the mystery hanging round her.
The little Doctor almost lived on deck, gulping down
the sea air as if he could never be satisfied. He would
walk up and down in the stormiest weather, and, for a man
of learning, his sea legs were pretty fair. " The sea is a
beautiful thing to look at," he said to Johnson, coming on
deck after breakfast. " I am ratlier late in beginning my
acquaintance with it, but FU soon make up for it."
"You are right. Dr. Clawbonny. I wouldn't give one
fag-end of sea for all the continents in the world. People
say that sailors soon grow tired of their calling, but here
have I been, forty years at sea, and I enjoy it as much as
the first day."
"And what a pleasure there is in feeling a good ship
under your feet; and, if Im any judge, the Forward is a
regular * brick.' "
" You are quite right there," said Shandon, coming up
at that moment; "it is a well-built ship, and I must con-
fess I have never seen one better provisioned and equipped
for an Arctic expedition. That reminds me that, thirty
years ago, Captain Ross, going in search of the North-
West passage — — "
" Went in the Victory" interrupted the Doctor, " a brig
of nearly the same tonnage as ours, and with a steam-en-
gine, too ? "
" What ! Do you know all about it? "
OUT AT SEA 235
" Don't 1 1 ** said the Doctor. " Steam was then in its
infancy, and the engine on the Victory caused much in-
jurious delay. Captain Ross, after vainly trying to repair
it, ended by doing away with it altogether, and left it be-
hind in his first winter quarters."
" Why, Doctor," exclaimed Shandon, " I see you are
quite familiar with all the facts."
" I ought to be," replied the Doctor, *' for I have read
the narratives of Parry, and Ross, and Franklin, and the
reports of McClure and Kennedy, and Kane, and McQin-
tock ; and then one thing I recollect — this same McClintock's
vessel, called the Fox, was a screw brig, like ours, and he
succeeded in gaining his object in a more direct and easy
manner than any of his predecessors."
"That is perfectly true," said Shandon. "This Mc-
Qintock was a brave sailor. I have seen him at work;
and you may add that, like him, we shall be in Davis's
Straits before April is out; and if we can manage to get
past the ice, it will greatly shorten our voyage."
" At all events," returned the Doctor, " I hope we'll be
better off than the Fox was in 1857, for she got blocked in
among the ice to the north of Baffin's Bay, the very first
year, and had to stay there all the winter."
" We'll hope for better luck, Mn Shandon," said John-
son; " and, certainly, if we can't get on with a ship like the
Forward, we had better give up trying for good and all."
" Besides," said the Doctor, " if the captain is on board,
he will know what's to be done better than we do in our
complete ignorance, for this wonderfully laconic letter of
his gives us no clue to the object of the voyage."
" We know what route to take, at any rate," said Shan-
don, rather sharply, "and that is a good deal. We can
manage now, I should think, to do without supernatural
interventions and instructions for a full month at least.
Besides, you know my own opinion of this mysterious cap-
tain."
The Doctor laughed, and said, " I thought with you, once,
that he would put you in command of the ship, and never
come on board ; but now "
" But what ? " said Shandon in a snappish tone.
" But since the arrival of this second letter my views on
the subject are somewhat modified."
236 AT THE NORTH POLE
" And pray why, Doctor ? "
" Because, though the letter tells you what course to take,
it does not tell you the destination of the Forward. Now,
he must know where we are going, and I should like to
know how a third letter can be sent to you when we are
out in the middle of the sea. On the shores of Greenland
the postman would certainly be a rara avis. What I think,
Shandon, is, that our gallant captain is waiting for us at
some Danish settlement at Holsteinberg or Upemavik.
He will have gone there to complete his cargo of seal-skins,
and to buy his sledges and dogs — in fact, to get everything
ready that is required for a voyage to the Arctic Seas. I
shall not be at all surprised to see him walk out of his
cabin some fine morning, and give orders to the crew in
the most ordinary matter-of-fact fashion imaginable."
"Possibly," said Shandon, drily; "but meantime the
wind is freshening, and it is not very prudent to risk a
topmast in a stiff breeze." This broke off the conversation,
and he walked away immediately, and bade the men reef
sails.
" He sticks to his notion," said the Doctor to Johnson.
" Ay, and more's the pity," said the boatswain, " for you
may be right, Mr. Clawbonny."
Towards evening on Saturday, the wind changed to a
hurricane, and almost drove the ship against the Irish
coast. The waves were very high, and the brig rolled and
pitched so heavily, that if the Doctor had felt inclined to
be seasick, he would have had every excuse. At seven
they lost sight of Cape Malinhead on the south. This was
the last glimpse of Europe, and more than one of the brave
crew of the Forward, destined never more to return, stood
gazing with long, lingering look. The gale ceased towards
nine at night, and the brig continued her course towards the
northwest.
During the hurricane Richard Shandon had closely stud-
ied his men, analyzing each individual, as every captain
ought to do, that he may know what characters he has to
work with, and be on his guard. James Wall was a most
devoted officer but he was deficient in the initiative faculty;
he could understand and obey, but tliat was all : he was only
fit for a third-rate position. Johnson, an experienced old
Arctic sailor, had nothing to learn in the way of sang froid
OUT AT SEA ^37
and boldness. Simpson, the harpooner, and Bell, the car-
penter, were reliable men, slaves of duty and discipline.
The ice-master, Foker, a sailor brought up in Johnson's
school, would be a valuable man.
Of the other sailors, Garry an 1 Polton appeared the best.
Bolton was a lively, chattering fellow. Garry was about
thirty-five years of age, an energetic-looking yoimg man,
but rather pale and sad.
The three sailors, Clifton, Gripper, and Pen, were less
enthusiastic and resolute. They were rather fond of
grumbling; and Gripper would have given up his engage-
ment, even at the last moment, if he had not been ashamed.
So long as things went well, and there was not much work
to do, and no danger to risk, he might reckon on these three
well enough; but they needed to be well fed. They took
very badly to the teetotal regimen, though they knew it was
to be enforced beforehand, and whenever the meal-time
came round they were always regretting their brandy or
gin, though they made up for it by drinking huge bowls of
tea and coffee, which might ]be had almost ad libitum on
board.
As for the two engineers, Brunton and Plover, and the
stoker Warren, they had sat with folded arms hitherto:
their work had not begun.
Shandon knew now how much each man could be de-
pended on.
On the 14th of April the Forward crossed the great cur-
rent called the Gulf Stream, which nms along the eastern
shore of the American continent as far as the Banks of
Newfoundland, and then curves southeast to the coast of
Norway. They found they were in latitude 51* 37', and
longitude 20* 58', about 200 miles from Greenland. The
weather had become cold, and the thermcxneter had fallen
to 32* — ^that is, to freezing point.
The Doctor had not yet donned his winter costume, but
he had followed the example of the sailors and officers,
and put on an oil-skin jacket and trousers, and a big " sou'-
wester," and high boots, into which he dropped all of a
lump; and really, to see him on deck when the rain was
falling in torrents, and the waves dashing over the vessel,
he might have been taken for some marine animal, though
the comparison would not flatter his vanity.
238 AT THE NORTH POLE
For two days the weather was extremely unfavorable,
the wind was southwest, and the Forward could make no
way. From the 14th to the i6th the sea continued rough
and stormy; but on the Monday a violent shower came,
the result of which was an almost immediate calm. Shan-
don pointed out tliis peculiar phenomenon to the Doctor,
who replied :
" It quite confirms the ctwious observations made by
Scoresby, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinbiu-gh, of
which I have the honor to be a corresponding member.
You see that during rain the waves are less susceptible to tlie
action of the wind, even when violent. On the contrary, in
dry weather, the sea is easily agitated by a comparatively
slight breeze."
" But how do you account for this ? "
** That is easily answered. I don't account for it at all,"
said the Doctor.
Just at that moment the ice-master, who was on watch
at the mast-head, signaled a floating mass on the starboard
side, about fifteen miles to leeward.
** An iceberg in these latitudes ! " exclaimed the Doctor.
Shandon pointed his glass in the given direction, and
confirmed the announcement of the pilot.
That's strange!" said the Doctor.
Does that astonish you? " asked the chief officer, smil-
ing. " What ! we are actually fortunate enough to find
something that astonishes you ! "
" Well, it astonishes me, and yet it doesn't," replied the
Doctor, smiling, " for, in 1813, the brig Anne, of Poole,
got blocked in among ice-fields in the forty-fourth degree
of north latitude, and Dayement, her captain, counted ice-
bergs by hundreds."
" Capital ! " said Shandon ; " you can still find something
to tell us about it that we don't know."
" Oh ! not very much," was the modest reply of the
amiable little man, "except that icebergs have been met
with in still lower latitudes."
" I know that, my dear Doctor, without your telling me,
for when I was a cabin-boy aboard the Fly, a sloop-of-
war "
ti
In 18 18," interrupted the Doctor, "at the end of
March or we might say April, you passed between two great
OUT AT SEA 239
islands of floating ice in the forty-second degree of lati-
tude.
" Really, you're too bad, Doctor 1 " exclaimed Shandon.
" But it is true. I have no reason to be astonished,
then, at finding a floating iceberg in front of our ship, see-
ing we are ten degrees farther north."
" I declare. Doctor, you're a perfect well ; you have only
to let down the bucket"
" All right. I shall dry up sooner than you think ; and
now, all I want to make me the happiest of doctors is, to
see this curious phenomenon a little nearer."
" Precisely," said Shandon. " Johnson," he added, call-
ing to his boatswain, "it seems to me the wind is get-
ting up."
" Yes, sir," said Johnson, " we are losing speed, and the
currents from the Straits of Davis will soon begin to af-
fect us."
" You are right, Johnson; and if we want to be at Cape
Farewell by the 20th of April, we must put on steam, or we
shall be dashed against the coast of Labrador. Mr. Wall,
will you give orders for the fires to be lighted imme-
diately?"
His orders were executed forthwith, and in another hour
the steam had acquired sufficient power to propel the screw,
and the Forward was racing along against the wind with
close-reefed sails at full speed.
CHAPTER VI
THE GREAT POLAR CURRENT
Before long, the numerous flights of birds — ^puflins,
petrels, and others peculiar to these desolate shores — indi-
cated that they were approaching Greenland. The For-
ward was steaming rapidly north, leaving leeward a long
cloud of black smoke.
On Tuesday, the 17th of April, the ice-master signaled
the blink of ice about twenty miles ahead, at least. A ta-
diant band of dazzling whiteness lighted up all the sur-
rounding atmosphere, in spite of somewhat heavy douds.
Experienced Arctic sailors cannot mistake this appearance ;
and the old hands on board at once pronounced it to be the
240 AT THE NORTH POLE
luminous reflection from a field of ice about thirty miles
in the distance.
Towards evening the wind fell south, and became so
favorable that Shandon was able to dispense with steam,
and depend once more on the sails.
On the i8th, at three o'clock, an ice-stream was discov-
ered in the far horizon, making a broad shining white line
between sea and sky. It was evidently drifting more
from the east coast of Greenland than from Davis's Straits ;
and about an hour afterwards the brig encountered it, and
sailed right through the loose floating masses.
On the morrow, at daybreak, a ship was descried, which
proved to be the Valkyrien, a Danish corvette, going to
Newfoundland. The current from the Straits began to
be sensibly felt, and Shandon v^s obliged to crowd sail to
get on at all.
He was standing on the poop with his two officers and
the Doctor, examining the force and the direction of the
current, when the Doctor asked if it was true that this
same current was uniformly found in Baffin's Bay.
" Undoubtedly that's the case," replied Shandon ; " and
sailing vessels have great difficulty in making head
against it."
" All the more," said James Wall, " as they fall in with
it, both on the east side of America, and on the west side
of Greenland."
" Well, then," said the Doctor, " that is quite an argu-
ment in favor of a North-West passage. This current
travels at the rate of about five miles an hour, and one
can hardly suppose it has its origin in the bottom of
the bay."
" Here is another fact to confirm your reasoning. This
current goes from north to south; but in Behring's Straits
there is a contrary current going from south to north, which
must be the origin of this."
" That certainly proves that America is completely de-
tached from the Polar regions, and that the waters of the
Pacific flow round its coast, and fall into the Atlantic.
Besides, the superior elevation of the Pacific makes it all
the more likely that the European seas would be fed by its
waters."
" But, surely," said Shandon, " there must be same facts
V. n Vtnre
THE GREAT POLAR CURRENT 241
to support this theory. Hasn't our learned Doctor any to
tell us? " he added, half ironically.
" Oh, yes ! *' said Clawbonny, with a good-humored air of
complacency, '^I could tell 3rou this, whidi may interest
you, that whales which have been wounded in Davis's
Straits have been captured subsequently on the coast of
Tartary with the European harpoon still sticking in their
sides.'*
*^ And since they have neither doubled Cape Horn nor
the Cape of Good Hope, they must have got round North
America. That is proof positive. Doctor."
" If you're not convinced yet, my good Shandon, I can
bring forward other facts, such as tifie drift-wood which
so abounds in Davis's Straits — ^larches, and aspens, and
tropical substances. Now, we know that this South cur*
rent would prevent this drift-wood from entering; if it
comes out there, it must have got in by Behring's Straits,
for there is no other way."
^' I am quite satisfied. Doctor; one couldn't be long in-
credulous with you."
"Look outl" exclaimed Johnson; "here comes some*
thing quite d propos to our conversation. I see a jolly-
sized log of wood floating there, and I pr(^)ose we fish it up,
with our chief officer's leave, and ask what country it comes
from."
Shandon agreed, and soon after the log was hauled up
on board, though with considerable difficulty. It was a
trunk of mahogany, worm-eaten to the very center, whldi
accounted for its floating.
^ Here's a triumphant proof," exclaimed the Doctor, en-
thusiastically. " Since it cannot have been carried into
Davis's Straits by the Atlantic currents, and since it cannot
have been driven into the Polar basin by any of the North
American rivers, seeing that it grew just below the Equator,
it is evident it comes in a direct line from Behring's Straits.
Besides, look at the worms. They belong to a species pe-
culiar to the tropics. Listen, I'll tell you the whole history
of this log. It was carried into the Pacific Ocean by some
river, from the Isthmus of Panama or Guatemala. From
thence it was borne along by the current into Behring's
Straits, and driven out into the Polar Sea. I should assign
rather a recent date to its departure, for it is neidier old
242 AT THE NORTH POLE
enough nor soaked enough to have been long on the road.
After getting through Baffin's Bay, past that long succes-
sion of straits, it was violently caught up by the Polar
current, and brought through Davis's Straits, to take its
place on board the Forward, for the special delectation of
Dr. Clawbonny, who now craves permission to keep a piece
of it as a specimen."
" By all means," said Shandon ; " but allow me to tell
you that you are not the only possessor of a waif like this.
The Danish governor of the Isle of Disko, on the coast of
Greenland "
** I know," said the Doctor. " He has a table made of a
trimk picked up in similar circumstances. I know all about
it, Shandon; but I don't envy him his table for there is
enough there to make me a whole bed-room suite, if it were
worth the trouble."
During the night the wind blew with extreme violence,
and the drift-wood became more frequently visible. It
was a time of the year when any aproach to the shore would
be dangerous, as the icebergs are very nimierous. Shan-
don therefore gave orders to lessen sail, and take in all
that was not absolutely necessary.
The next business was to give out warm clothing for the
crew, as the thermometer went down below freezing point.
Each man received a woolen jacket and trousers, a flannel
shirt, and wadmel stockings, like those worn by the Nor-
wegian peasants. Each man was also provided with a
pair of perfectly waterproof sea-boots.
As for ** Captain," he was quite contented with his nat-
ural covering. He did not seem to feel the change of tem-
perature, and, likely enough, had been accustomed to it
before. Moreover, a born Dane can hardly complain of
cold; and " Captain" was* wise enough not to expose him-
self much; he was seldom visible, generally stowing himself
away in the darkest recesses of the ship.
Towards evening, through a rift in the fog, the coast of
Greenland was indistinctly visible — ^the Doctor just caught
a glimpse through the glass, of peaks and glaciers, and then
the fog closed over it again, like the curtain falling at the
theater at the most interesting part of the play.
On the 20th of April the Forward sighted a fallen ice-
berg, a hundred and fifty feet high. It had been in the
THE GREAT POLAR CURRENT 243
same place from time immemorial, and had become firmly
fixed below; as,* for every foot above water, an iceberg has
nearly two below, which reckoning would give this a depth
of about eighty fathoms. No thaw seemed to have affected
it, or touched its strange outlines. It was seen by Snow;
by James Ross, in 1829, who made an exact drawing of it;
and by Lieutenant Bellot, in 185 1. The Doctor, of course,
was anxious to carry away some souvenir of an ice moun-
tain so celebrated, and succeeded in sketching it very suc-
cessfully.
At last Cape Farewell came in sight, and the Forward
arrived on the day fixed, amidst snow and fog, with the
temperature at 12*. If the unknown captain should chance
to turn up here, he certainly could not complain.
" Here we are, then," said the Doctor, " at this famous
cape ! Well named it is, for many have reached it like us
who never saw it more. Do we, indeed, say farewell to
our friends in Europe? Frobisher, Knight, Barlow,
Vaughan, Scroggs, Barentz, Hudson, Blosseville, Frank-
lin, Crozier, Bellot — ^all passed this way, never to return!
For them it was indeed a Cape Farewell."
All the past history of Greenland rose up to memory, as
the Doctor stood gazing dreamily over the side of the ship,
watching the deep furrow she made in plowing the waves,
and imagination peopled the icy, desolate shore with pale
shadows of the many bold adventurers who had found a
grave and winding sheet in the snow.
CHAPTER VII
DAVIS'S STRAITS
During the day the Forward bored her way easily
through the loose ice. The wind was favorable, but the
temperature very low, owing to the passage of the air cur-
rents over the ice-fields.
The night was the most trying time, requiring the ut-
most vigilance. The icebergs so crowded the narrow strait
that Inwards of a hundred could often be counted on the
horizon at one time. They were constantly being shed off
by the glaciers on the coast, through the combined action
of the waves and the April weather, and either melted
244 AT THE NORTH POLE
away or became engulfed in the depths of the ocean. It
was necessary, also, to guard against coming into collision
with the drift-wood, wtuch was floating about in continu-
ous heavy masses, so the " crow's-nest " had to be attached
to the topgallant mast-head. This was a cask with a
movable bottom, in which the ice-master took up his posi-
tion, to keep a sharp look-out over the sea. Here he was
partially sheltered from the wind, and could both give no-
tice of any ice that came in sight and direct the course of
the vessel through it when necessary.
The nights were short The sim had reappeared since
the close of January, and inclined more and more to show
himself above the horizon; but the snow came between,
and though not exactly causing darkness, made navigation
a work of difficulty.
On the 2 1 St of April Cape Desolation came in sight
through the fog. The men were worn out witfi fatigue,
iot they had not a minute's rest since they got in among
the ice. It was found necessary to have recourse to steam
to bore a way through the close, heavy packs.
The Doctor and the boatswain were standing at the
6tem» having a chat, while Shandon was in his cabin, try-
ing to get a few hours' sleep. Clawbonny was very fond
of having a talk with the old sailor, for he had made so
many voyages, and seen and heard so much, that his con-
versation was always sensible and interesting. The Doc-
tor took quite a fancy to him, and Johnscm heartily recipro-
cated his liking.
"How different thi3 country is from all others," said
Johnson. " It is called Greenland, but certainly it is only
during a very few weeks in the year that it justifies its
name."
" But who knows, my good fellow, whether in tiie tenth
century it might not have been justly called so? More
than one total change like that has taken place on our
globe; and perhaps I shall astonish you considerably when
I tell you that, according to Icelandic chroniclers, there
)vere two hundred flourishing villages on this continent
night or nine hundred years ago."
"You astonish me so much, Mr. Qawbonny, that I
couldn't believe it, for it is a miserable country."
" Miserable it may be, but for all that it affords enough
DAViy STRAIT ^45
to satisfy the inhabitants, and even civilized Europeans,
too/'
** True enough. Both at Disko and Upemavik we shall
find men who have taken up their abode in this inhospitable
climate ; but, for my own part, it has always seemed to me
that their stay there must be a matter of necessity rather
than of choice/'
** I can quite think that, yet a man can get used to any-
thing; and the Greenlanders don't appear to me so much
to be pitied as the laboring classes in our great cities.
They may be badly oflF, but one thing is certain, they are
not unhappy. I say badly off; but that does not quite ex-
press my meaning. What I would say is, they lack many
comforts to be found in the temperate zones, and yet their
constitutions are so adapted to this rude climate, tfiat they
find a measure of enjoyment in it which we cannot even
imagine."
" I suppose it is so, Mr. Qawbonny, since Heaven can-
not be unjust; but I have been here many a time, and yet
I never can see these dreary solitudes wi&out a feeling of
sadness coming over me. And then what names they have
given to these capes, and bays, and headlands! Surely
they might have found something more inviting than Cape
Farewell and Desolation. They have not a very cheering
sound to navigators."
" I have thought the same thing mjrself," replied the
Doctor; "and yet these names have a geographical in-
terest attaching to them which we must not overlook. They
record the adventures of those who gave them. If I find
Cape Desolation among such names as Davis, Baffin, Hud-
son, Ross, Parry, Franklin, and Bellot, I find soon after-
wards Mercy Bay. Cape Providence is good company for
Port Anxiety; Repulse Bay leads me to Cape Eden; and
Tumagain Point to Refuge Bay. Here I have before me
the whole succession of dangers and disappointments, ob-
stacles, and successes, despairing failures, and accomplished
results, linked with illustrious names of my countrymen;
and as if on a series of ancient medals, I read in this nomen-
clature the whole history of these seas."
" You have certainly made out a very good case for It,
Mr. Qawbonny. I only hope, in our voyage, we may
of tener come to Success Bay than Cape Despair.'
99
246 AT THE NORTH POLE
it
I hope that, too, Johnson; but, tell me, have the crew
got over their fears at all ? "
" They have partly, sir ; and yet, to speak frankly, since
we entered the strait, their heads are full again of this ec-
centric captain of ours. More than one of them expected
him to make his appearance the moment we reached Green-
land, and there's no sign of him yet. - Between ourselves,
Mr. Clawbonny, are you not surprised? "
" I certainly am, Johnson."
" Do you believe in the actual existence of this captain? "
" Most assuredly."
" But what can possibly induce him to act in this man-
ner?"
" Well, if I say what I really think, it is this — ^the captain
wished to get the sailors too far on to be able to back out
of the undertaking; and if he had shown himself on board
ship when we were going to sail, I don't know how he
would have managed at all, with everybody clamoring to
know the destination."
"Why not?"
" My stars ! if he is going to attempt some superhuman
enterprise, and try to push his way where human feet have
never trod, do you suppose he would have found a crew at
all to go with him? But by going to work like this, he
has dragged the men on so far, that going farther becomes
a necessity."
" That's very possible, Mr. Clawbonny. I have known
more than one bold adventurer, whose mere name would
have been enough to prevent anyone from joining any ex-
pedition led on by them."
" Anyone except me," said the Doctor.
" And me, after you, Doctor," replied Johnson. " No
doubt, then, our captain belongs to these daring adventur-
ers. Well, we shall see, I suppose. When we reach Uper-
navik, or Melville Bay, I daresay our brave . incognito will
quietly install himself on board, and inform us where he
has a fancy to drag the ship."
" I think that is very likely ; but the difficulty is to get to
Melville Bay. Just look at the ice all round us. There is
hardly room for the ice to get through. See that immense
plain stretching out yonder I "
In our Arctic language, Mr. Qawbonny, we call that
n
DAVIS' STRAIT 247
an ice-field — ^that is to say, a surface of ice which extends
beyond the reach of sight"
" And what do you call this broken ice on the other side
— those long pieces which keep so closely together ? "
" That's a pack. If the loose masses assume a circular
form, we call it palch; and if elongated, a stream"
" And all that floating ice, there — ^has that any particular
name ? "
" That is called drift ice. If it rose higher out of the
water it would be icebergs or ice-hills. It is dangerous for
ships to come into contact with them, and they have to be
carefully avoided. Look I do you see that protuberance, or
sort of ridge of broken ice on the stu^face of the field?
That is called a hummock, and is formed by the collision
of fields. If its base was submerged, it would be called a
calf.''
" Well, it is certainly a curious spectacle," said the Doc-
tor, "and one that acts powerfully on the imagination."
" Yes, indeed," replied Johnson, " for the ice often as-
sumes the most fantastic forms."
" For instance, Johnson," interrupted the Doctor, " look
at that assemblage of huge blocks. Couldn't you fancy it
was some eastern city, with its minarets and mosques glit-
tering in the pale moonlight ? And then a little way off is
a long succession of Gothic arches, which remind one of
Henry the Seventh's Chapel at Westminster, or the Houses
of Parliament."
" Ay, Mr. Clawbonny, each man shapes those to his own
fancy ; but I can tell you both churches and towers are dan-
gerous places to live in, or even to get too near. There are
some of those minarets tottering at their base, and tiie
smallest of them would crush our brig to pieces."
" And yet men have dared to venture here without having
steam to fall back upon. It is difficult to imagine a com-
mon sailing ship being able to pick her way through those
moving rocks."
"It has been done, however, Mr. Clawbonny. When
the wind became contrary, which happened to myself more
than once, we anchored our ship to one of those blocks,
and waited patiently, drifting along with it more or less,
till a favoring breeze allowed us to resume our course
again. I must confess, however, it was a very slow fashion
248 AT THE NORTH POLE
of sailing. We did not get on farther in a whok month
than we should have done in a day, if we had at all a fair
wind."
" It strikes me/' said the Doctor, " that tiie temperature
keeps getting lower."
" That would be vexing," said Johnson, " for we need
a thaw to loosen these padcs, and make them drift into the
Atlantic. The reason they are so numerous in Davis's
Straits is the narrowness of the space between Cape Wal-
singham and Holsteinberg ; but after we get beycmd the
67^1 degree, we shall find the sea more navigable during
May and June months."
" Yes ; but how to reach it is the question."
" That's it, Mr. Qawbonny. In June and July we should
have found the passage open, as the whalers do; but our
orders were positive — ^we were to arrive here in April.
That makes me think that our captain is some thorough
* go-ahead ' fellow who has got an idea in his head, and is
determined to carry it out He would not have started
so soon if he had not meant to go a long way. Well, if
we live we shall see."
The Doctor was right about the temperature. The ther-
mometer was only 6** at mid-day, and a breeze was blowing
from the southwest, which, though it cleared the sky, con-
siderably impeded the course of tfie ship, as the strong cur-
rent it produced drove the loose, heavy masses of ice right
across her bows. Nor did all these masses move in the
same direction. Some — and those the largest among them
— floated in an exturtly opposite direction, obeying a counter-
current below.
It is easy to understand what diflSculty this caused in
navigation. The engineers had not a single moment's
rest. Sometimes a lead or opening was discovered in an
ice^eld, and the brig had to strain her utmost to get iato
it. Sctfnetimes she had to race with an iceberg to prevent
the only visible outlet from being blocked up; while agaua
some towering mass would suddenly overturn, and the ship
must be backed in an instant to avoid being crashed. Siould
frost set in, all the accumulation of floe-pieces driven into
the narrow pass by the north wind, would consoUdate
firmly, and oppose an insurmountable barrier to the prog-
ress of the Forward.
DAVIS' STRAIT 249
The petrels and other sea-birds were innumerable. They
were flying about in all directions, filling the air with their
discordant cries. Amongst them was also a great number
of sea-gulls, with large heads, short necks, and compressed
beaks, spreading their long wings, and disporting them-
selves in the loose snow. These feathered gentry quite
enlivened the landscape.
The drift-wood was still abundant, and the logs came
dashing against each other with great noise. Several cache-
lots, or sperm whales, with enormous, swollen heads, ap-
proached the vessel ; but it was out of tiie question to think
of giving them chase, though Simpson the harpooner's fin-
gers itched to try to spear them. Towards evening, seals
were also seen swimming about between the floes, the tips
of their snouts just above water.
On the 22d, the temperature became still lower. The
steam had to be at high pressure to enable the Forward
to gain any favorable lead whatever. The wind kept stead-
ily northwest, and the sails were dose-reefed.
Being Sunday, the sailors had less work. After morn-
ing service, which was read by Shandon, the crew occupied
themselves in shooting guillemots, a species of sea turtle-
doves. They caught a great number, which were dressed
according to Qawbonny's receipt, and furnished an agree-
able addition to the ordinary fare of both officers and men.
At three o'clock in the afternoon the Forward reached
the Kin of Zaal, and the Sukkertop, or Sugarloaf — ^ wild,
lonely peak, rising 3000 feet above the shore. There was
a heavy swell in the sea, and from time to time a dense
fog would suddenly overspread the gray sky. However,
at noon the observations had been taken, and it was found
that the latitude was 65** 20', and longitude 54* 22'. Two
degrees higher had therefore to be made before a more
open sea could be reached.
For the three following days it was one continuous strug-
gle with the floes. It was a fatiguing business to work the
engine: the steam was stopped or driven back every min-
ute, and escaped hissing from the valves.
While the fog lasted, the approach of icebergs eould
only be known by the hollow detonations produced by the
avalanches. The brig had then to turn aside at once, for
there was danger of coitiing into collision with fresh-water
250 AT THE NORTH POLE
blocks, as hard as rock, and remarkable for tlieir crystal
transparency. Shandon took care to replenish his supply
of water by shipping several tons of these every day.
The Doctor could never get accustomed to the optical
illusions caused by refraction. For instance, an iceberg
twelve miles off looked like a little white mass quite close ;
and his eye needed long training to enable him to judge
objects correctly in a region where a phenomenon like this
was of frequent occurrence.
At length, what with towing the brig along in fields, and
driving back threatening blocks with long poles, the crew
were completely worn out, and yet on Friday, the 27th of
April, the Forward was still outside the Polar circle.
CHAPTER VIII
WHAT THE CREW THOUGHT ABOUT IT
By watching the chance, however, and taking advantage
of every favorable lead, the Forward managed to gain a
little ground, but instead of avoiding the enemy, it was
evident that direct attack would soon be necessary, for
ice-fields, many miles in extent, were approaching, and as
these masses when in motion represent a pressure of more
than ten millions of tons, great care was requisite to avoid
nippings, that is, getting crushed in among them on both
sides of the ship. The saws were ordered to be brought
up and placed in readiness for immediate use.
It was hard work now for the crew, and some began to
grumble loudly, though they did not refuse to obey, while
others took things as they came with philosophic indif-
ference.
" I couldn't tell for my life what brings it into my head
just this moment," said Bolton, gayly, "but I can't help
thinking of a jolly little grog-shop in Water Street, where
a fellow can make himself very comfortable with a glass
of gin and a bottle of porter. You can see it too, quite
plain, can't you, Gripper ? "
" Speak for yourself," said Gripper, in the surly tone
he generally adopted. " I can see nothing of the sort."
"It's only a way of speaking, Gripper; of course I
didn't suppose that those ice-cities which Mr. Qawbonny
WHAT THE CREW THOUGHT 251
so admires have even one solitary little public-house in
them, where a brave Jack Tar can get a tumbler or two of
brandy."
"You may be quite sure of that, Bolton; and for that
matter you might add, there is nothing even to be had on
board to keep a poor fellow's heart up. A queer idea,
certainly, to forbid spirits to Arctic sailors I "
" I can't see that," said Garry, " for you remember what
the Doctor said, that it was absolutely necessary to avoid
all stimulants if a man wished to go far north, and keep
well and free from the scurvy."
" But I have no wish to go far north, Garry. I think
it is all lost labor, even coming this length. I can't see the
good of being so bent and determined on pushing through
where the Fates are dead against us."
" Ah, well, we shan't push through, anyway,", said Pen.
" When I think I have even forgotten the taste of gin I "
"You must comfort yourself, my boy," said Bolton,
" with what the Doctor said."
" Oh, it's all very fine to talk," said Pen, in his coarse,
brutal voice, " but it remains to be seen whether all this
stuff about health isn't a mere sham to save the rum."
" Pen may be right, perhaps, after all," said Gripper.
" Pen right 1 " exclaimed Bolton. " His nose is too red
for that, and if this new regimen is beginning to bring it
back to its natural color a bit, he may thank his stars in-
stead of complaining."
" What harm has my nose done to you, I should like to
know?" said Pen, angrily, for this was an attack on his
weak point. " My nose can take care of itself ; it doesn't
want your advice. Mind your own business."
" Come, Pen, don't get rusty. I didn't think your nose
was so sensitive. Why, man, I like a good glass of whisky
as well as other people, especially in such a climate as this,
but if it does one really more harm than good, I am quite
willing to go without it."
"You do without it?" said Warren, the stoker, "but
I am not so sure that everyone else on board does with-
out it."
" What do you mean, Warren ? " said Garry, looking
fixedly at him.
" I mean this, that for some reason or other there are
252 AT THE NORTH POLE
spirits on board, and I don't believe some folks in the cabin
don't make themselves jolly."
" Pray, how did you know that? " asked Garry.
Warren could not answer; he was only talking for talk-
ing sake, as the saying is.
" Never mind him, Garry," said Bolton. " You see he
knows nothing about it."
" Well," said Pen, " we'll go and ask for a ration of gin
from the chief officer. We've earned it well, I'm stu^, and
we'll see if he refuses."
" I advise you to do nothing of the sort," rejoined Garry,
seriously.
"Why not?" asked Pen and Gripper.
" Because you'll only get * No ' for an answer. You
knew the regulation when you signed tlie articles. You
should have thought about it sooner."
" Besides," replied Bolton, who always sided with Garry,
" Richard Shandon is not the master ; he has to obey like
all the rest of us."
" Obey whom, I should like to know? *'
" The captain."
"Confound the captain," exclaimed Pen. "Can't you
see through all this make-believe. There is no more any
real captain than there is any tavern among those ice-blocks.
It's only a polite fashion of refusing us what we have a
right to demand.'*
" But there is a captain," replied Bolton, " and I would
wager two months' wages that we shall see him before
long."
" So much the better," said Pen. " I, for one, should
like to say a few words to him."
" Who's talking about the captain ? " said a fresh inter-
locutor.
It was Clifton who spoke — an anxious, superstitious man.
" Any more news about the captain ? " he asked.
" None," was the unanimous reply.
" Well, some fine morning I quite expect to find him in
his cabin, without anyone knowing how he got there, or
where he came from."
" Be off with you," said Bolton. " You seem to think
the captain is a sort of Brownie, like those that the Scotch
Highlanders talk about"
WHAT THE CREW THOUGHT 353
'* Laugh as much as you like, Bolton, but that won't
change my opinion. Every day, when I pass his cabin, I
take a look through the key-hole, and you see if I don't
come and tell you some day what he looks like, and how
he's made."
" Plague take him," said Pen ; " I suppose his timbers
are no different from other people; and if he's going to
try and force us where we don't want to go, he'll soon
show us what stuff he is made of."
" That's pretty good," said Bolton. " Here's Pen, who
doesn't even know the man, wanting to pick a quarrel
with him directly."
" Doesn't know him? " returned Qifton; " that remains
to be proved."
" What do you mean ? " asked Gripper.
" I know what I'm saying."
"But we don't," was the common exclamation.
" Why, hasn't Pen quarreled with him already ? "
"With the captain?"
"Yes, with the dog-captain, for it comes to the same
thing."
The sailors gazed dubiously at each other, hardly know-
ing what to say or think.
At last Pen muttered between his teeth, " Man or dog.
as sure as I'm alive, I'll settle accounts with him one of
these days."
"Qifton," asked Bolton, seriously, "do you actually
profess to believe that the dog is the real captain ? Johnson
was only fooling you."
" I firmly believe it," said Qifton, with an air of perfect
conviction, " and if you were to watch him as I have done,
you would have seen his strange behavior for yourself."
" What strange behavior? Tell us about him."
" Haven't you seen the way he marches up and down the
deck, and looks at the sails, as if he were on watch? "
"Yes, that's quite true; and one evening I positively
caught him, with his fore-paws up, leaning against the
wheel."
" Impossible ! " said Bolton.
" And doesn't he leave the ship now every night, and go
walking about among the ice, without caring either for
the bears or the cold ? "
254 AT the; north POLE
it
tt
That is true, too/' said Bolton.
Besides, is the animal like any other honest dog, fond
of human society? Does he follow the cook about, and
watch all his movements when he brings in the dishes to
the cabin ? Don't you hear him at night, when he is two or
three miles from the ship, howling till he makes your flesh
creep, which, by the way, isn't a very difficult matter in
such a temperature. And, to crown all, have you ever seen
him eat any food? He will take nothing from anybody.
His cake is never touched, and unless someone feeds him
secretly, I may safely say he is an animal that lives without
eating. Now, you may call me a fool if you like, if that
isn't peculiar enough."
"Upon my word," said Bell, the carpenter, who had
listened to all Clifton's arguments, "it is not impossible
you may be right"
The other sailors were silent, till Bolton changed the
subject by asking where the Forward was going.
" I don't know," said Bell. " At a given mcnnent, Shan-
don is to receive his final instructions."
"But how?"
"How?"
" Yes, how ? that's the question," repeated Bolton.
" Come, Bell, give us an answer," urged the others.
"I don't know how," said the carpenter. "I can tell
no more than you can."
" Oh ! by the dog-captain, of course," exclaimed Qifton.
" He has written once already ; I daresay he can manage a
second letter. Oh, if I but knew half that dog does, I
should feel fit to be First Lord of the Admiralty."
" So, then, the short and long of it is, that you stick to
your opinion, Clifton," said Bolton.
" I've told you that already."
" Well," said Pen, in a deep, hollow voice, " all I know
is, if that beast don't want to die in a dog's skin, he had
better be quick, and turn into a man, for I'll do for him as
sure as my name is Pen."
" And what for ? " said Garry.
" Because I choose," was the rude reply. " I am not
bound to give an account of my doings to anyone."
" Come, boys, you have had talk enough," said Johnson,
interrupting the conversation to prevent a quarrel. "Get
WHAT THE CREW THOUGHT 255
to work; it is time the saws were all up, for we must get
beyond the ice."
** So be it, and on a Friday, too. We shan't get beyond
quite so easily," said Qifton, shrugging his shoulders.
From what cause it was impossible to say, but all the
efforts of the crew were in vain. That day the Forward
made no way whatever, though she dashed against the ice-
fields with all her steam up. She could not separate them,
and was forced to come to anchor for the night.
Next day the wind was east, and the temperature still
lower. The weather was fine, and, as far as the eye could
reach ice-plains stretched away in the distance, glittering
in the sun's rays with dazzling whiteness. At seven in the
morning, the thermometer stood eight degrees below zero.
The Doctor felt much inclined to stay quietly in his cabin,
and devote himself to the reperusal of his volimies of Arc-
tic voyages ; but his custom was always to do whatever was
most disagreeable to himself at the time being, and as it
was certainly anything but pleasant to go on deck in such
bitter weather and lend a helping hand to the men, he
adhered to his rule of conduct, and left his snug warm
quarters below, and went upstairs to do his share of work
in towing the vessel along. He wore green spectacles to
protect his eyes; but from this time he began to make use
of snow-spectacles, to avoid the ophthalmia so frequent
in Arctic latitudes.
By evening the Forward had gained many miles, thanks
to the activity of the men and the skill of Shandon. At
midnight they cleared the sixty-sixth parallel, and on
sounding, the depth was found to be twenty-three fathoms.
Land was about thirty miles to the east.
Suddenly the mass of ice, which had hitherto been mo-
tionless, broke in pieces, and began to move. Icebergs
seemed to surge from all points of the horizon, and the brig
found herself wedged in among a crowd of moving bergs,
which might crush her at any moment. The task of steer-
ing became so difficult that Garry, who was the best hand
at the wheel, could never leave it. Ice-mountains were re-
forming behind the ship, and there was no alternative but
to bore a way forward through the loose floes.
The crew were divided into two companies, and ranged
on the starboard and larboard ; each man armed with a long
256 AT THE NORTH POUE
pole pointed with iron, to push back the most threatening
packs. Before long, the brig entered a narrow pass be-
tween two high blocks, so narrow, that the tops of the
sails touched the rock, like walls on either side. This led
into a winding valley, JFuU of whirling, blinding snow, where
masses of drift ice were dashing furiously against each
other, and breaking up into fragments with loud crackings.
But it was soon but too evident that there was no outlet
to this gorge ; an enormous block was right in front of the
ship, and drifting rapidly down on her. There appeared
no way of escape, for going back was impossiUe.
Shandon and Johnson stood together on the forepart of
the vessel, surveying her perilous position ; Shandon giving
orders with one hand to the steersman and with the other
to James Wall, who transmitted them to the chief engineer.
" How is this going to end, Johnson? '*
" As Heaven pleases," was the boatswain's reply.
The ice-block, an enormous berg a hundred feet high,
was now within a cable's length of the Forward^ threatening
her with instant destruction.
It was a moment of intense agonizing suspense, and be-
came so unbearable that the men flung down their poles in
spite of Shandon's commands, and hurried to the stem.
Suddenly a tremendous noise was heard, and a perfect
waterspout broke over the deck. An enormous wave up-
heaved the ship, and the men cried out in terror, all but
Garry, who stood up quietly at the helm, and kept the
vessel in the right course.
But when the men recovered themselves a litfle, and ven-
tured to look the gigantic foe again in the face, it was gone !
The whole berg had completely disappeared, the pass was
free, and there was a long channel beyond, lighted up by
the oblique rays of the sun, which offered an uninterrupted
passage to the Forward,
"Well, Mr. Clawbonny," said Johnson; "how do you
explain this phenomenon?"
*' It is one that often occurs, and is very simple, my good
friend," replied the Doctor. "When these floating ice-
bergs become detached at the time of the thaw, they sail
separately along and preserve their equilibrium perfectly,
but as they gradually drift farther south, where the water
is relatively warmer, they begin to melt and get tmdcr-
y. n Vanre
WHAT THE CREW THOUGHT 257
mined at the base, and the moment comes when their center
of gravity is displaced, and down they go. K this had hap-
pened, however, but two minutes later, it would have fallen
on the ship and crushed her to atoms/'
CHAPTER IX
A LETTER
The Polar circle was entered at last. THc Forward
passed Holsteinberg at twelve o'clock on the 30th of April.
Picturesque mountain scenery appeared on the eastern hori-
zon, and the sea was open and free from icebergs, or rather
any icebergs that were visible could easily be avoided. The
wind was in the S. E., and bore along the brig in full sail
up Baffin's Bay.
The day would have passed unmarked by any unusual
incident but for the following occurrence, which, strange
as it may appear, actually took place. At six in the morn-
ing, when Richard Shandon's watch was over, and he came
back to his cabin, he found a letter lying on his table
directed thus:
" To the chief officer, Richard Shandon,
" On board the Forward,
" Baffin's Bay/'
Shandotl could not believe his own eyes, and would not
even take the letter in his hands till he had called the
Doctor and James Wall and the boatswain to look at it
" It is certainly very strange," said Johnson.
" I think it is charming ! " exclaimed the Doctor.
"At any rate," replied Shandon, "we shall know the
secret now, I suppose."
He tore open the envelope hastily and read as follows :
" The captain of the Forward is pleased with the cool-
ness, skill, and courage displayed in recent trying circum-
stances by the crew and officers, and yourself. He begs
you to convey his thanks to the men.
" You will please direct your course north to Melville Bay,
and from thence attempt to make Smith's Sotmd.
" The Captain of the Forward^
" K. Z."
** Monday, A!pril 30th, pflf Cape Walsingham.'
n
258 AT THE NORTH POLE
" Knd that's all ! " exclaimed the Doctor.
" That's all," was Shandon's reply.
" Well ! " said Wall, " this Quixotic captain doesn't even
so much as speak of coming on board now. I infer from
this he doesn't intend to come at all."
"But this letter," said Johnson, "how did it get on
board the vessel?"
Shandon was silent
" Mr. Wall is right," replied the Doctor, picking up the
letter which had fallen on the floor, and giving it back to
Shandon.
"The captain won't come on board for a very good
reason."
"And what is it?" inquired Shandon, eagerly.
" Because he is there already 4 " said the Doctor flatly.
" Already I What do you mean ? "
"If he is not, how do you explain the arrival of the
letter?"
Johnson nodded his head approvingly.
"It is not possible!" exclaimed Shandon. "I know
every one of the crew; and, if your idea were correct, the
captain must have been on board ever since the ship sailed.
It is perfectly impossible, I say; for there is not a man
among them I haven't seen more than a hundred times in
Liverpool during the last two years. No, no. Doctor; your
theory is altogetiier inadmissible."
" Well, then, how do you account for it ? "
"Any way but that. I grant you that the captain, or
someone employed by him, may have taken advantage of the
fog and darkness to slip on board unperceived. We are not
far from land, and the Esquimaux kayaks glide alone noise-
lessly between the icebergs. He might easily have managed
to climb up the ship and deposit the letter. The fog has
been quite dense enough for that"
" Yes, and dense enough, too, to keep anyone from seeing
the brig; for if we could not notice an intruder coming on
deck, it is not very likely he would be able to discover the
vessel."
" I think that too," said Johnson. " What do you say,
Mr. Shandon ? "
" Anything you like, except that he is one of the crew,"
said Shandon, in an excited manner.
A LETTER 259
" Perhaps it is one of the sailors who has been commis-
sioned by him/* suggested Wall.
" That may be," said the Doctor.
" But which of them? " asked ShandoiL ** I tell you, all
the men have been personally known to me this long time."
" At any rate, the captain will be welcome whenever he
chooses to come, be he man or fiend," said Johnson. " But
there is one piece of information in the letter at all events.
We are not only going to Melville Bay but to Smith's
Straits.''
" Smith's Straits," repeated Shandon, mechanically.
"It is evident," continued Johnson, "that the object of
the Forward is not to seek the North- West passage, since we
must leave Lancaster Sound, the only entrance to it, on the
left. This supposes very difficult navigation for us in un-
known seas."
" Yes," said Shandon, " Smith's Soimd was the course
taken by the American Dr. Kane in 1853 ; and what dangers
he encountered I He was given up for lost for a long time.
However, if we are to go, we go. But where? To tlie
Pole?"
" Why not ? " asked the Doctor.
Johnson shrugged his shoulders at the bare possibility of
such a mad attempt.
" Well, then," said Wall, " to come back to the captain ;
if he exists, I hardly see any place in Greenland where he
can be waiting for us except Disko, or Upemavik, so in a
few days at most we shall know better how the case stands."
" But, Shandon," asked the Doctor, " are you not going
to tell the men about this letter ? "
" With your leave, sir," said Johnson, addressing Shan-
don, " I say not"
"And why not?"
" Because anything so unheard-of and so mysterious dis-
spirits the men. They are very imeasy as it is about the
issue of this strange expedition, but if an3rthing supernatural
should occur, it might have the worst possible effect on them,
and we could never rely on them when most wanted."
" What is your opinion, Doctor ? " asked Shandon.
" Johnson's reasoning seems convincing, I think," was the
reply.
" And what say you, James ? "
26o AT THE NORTH POLE
" I incline to Johnson, sir."
After a few moments' reflection, Shandon read the letter
carefully again, and then said :
" Your opinion is very sensible, but excuse me, gentlemen,
I cannot adopt it."
"Why not, Shandon?';
" Because my instructions are plain and precise. I am
told to convey a message from the captain to the crew. All
I have to do is to obey orders, however they may have come
to me, and I cannot ''
" But, sir," interrupted Johnson, mainly concerned at the
disastrous effect of any such communication on the sailors.
" My good fellow," said Shandon, " I can understand
3rour opposition, but I put it to yourself, whether I have any
option in the matter. Read the letter. * He begs you to
convey his thanks to the crew.* "
" Well, then," said Johnson, when his love of discipline
was thus appealed to, " shall I assemble the men on deck? "
** Do so," replied Shandon.
The news of a communication from the captain soon
spread, and the sailor needed no second summons to hear
the mysterious letter. They listened to it in gloomy silence,
but gave way to all sorts of wild conjectures, as they dis-
persed to their work. The superstitious Clifton ascribed
everything, as ustial, to the dog-captain, and said triumph-
antly: " Didn't I say that animal could write? "
From this day forward he always took care to touch his
cap whenever he chanced to meet him about the ship.
One thing was patent to the observation of anyone — the
captain, or his ghost, was always watching over their doings,
and prudent individuals began to think it advisable to keep
quiet, and say as little about him as possible.
By observations taken at noon on the ist of May, the
longitude was found to be 32* and the latitude 68*. The
temperature had risen, and the thermometer stood at 26**
above zero.
The Doctor was on deck, amusing himself with the
gambols of a white bear and her cubs, on a pack of ice frozen
fast to the shore. He tried to capture her, with the assist-
ance of Wall and Simpson ; but the brute was evidently of a
peaceable disposition, for she never showed fight at all, but
scampered off with her progeny at full speed.
A LETTER 261
Cape Chidley avas doubled during the night with a favor-
ing breeze, and suddenly the high mountains of Disko rose
to view. The Bay of Godavhn, where the Governor-Gen-
eral of the Danish settlements resided, was left on the right
Isle Disko is also called Whale Island. It was from this
place that Sir John Franklin wrote his last letter to the Ad-
miralty, on the 1 2th of July, 1845, and it was there that
McClintock touched on his return, on the 27th of August,
1859, bringing incontestable proofs of the loss of the expedi-
tion.
The shore was one continuation of icebergs, of the most
peculiar fantastic shapes, so firmly cemented to the coast
that the most powerful thaws had been unable to detach
them.
Next day, about three o*clock, they sighted Sanderson
Hope, to the N.R Land was on the starboard side, about
fifteen miles off, the mountains looking brownish-red in the
distance. In the course of the evening, several whales of
the species called finners, which have their fins on the back,
were seen disporting themselves among the ice, blowing out
large volumes of air and water through the apertures in the
head.
During the night of the sth of May, the Doctor observed
the luminous disc of the sun, for the first time, appear com-
pletely above the horizon, though from the 31st of January
there had been constant daylight.
To those who are not accustomed to it, there is something
in this continual day which excites wonderment at first, but
soon gives place to weariness. One would hardly believe
how necessary the darkness of night is for the preservation
of the sight. The Doctor felt the constant glare positively
painful, intensified as it was by the dazzling reflection of the
ice.
On the sth of May the Forward passed the seventy-second
parallel. Two months later, she would have fallen in with
numerous whalers about to commence their fishing, but at
present the Straits were not free enough to allow their ves-
sels to get into Baffin's Bay.
The next day the brig arrived in sight of Upemavik, the
most northerly of the Danish settlements on the coast.
CHAPTER X
PERILOUS NAVIGATION
Shandon, Dr. Clawbonny, and Johnson, accompanied by
Foker and Strong, the cook, got into the whaling-boat, and
went on shore.
The Governor, with his wife and five children, came
courteously to meet their visitors. Dr. Clawbonny knew
enough Danish to establish friendly relations between them,
and Foker, the ice-master, who was also interpreter, knew
about twenty words of the Esquimaux tongue, and a good
deal can be done with twenty words if one is not very ambi-
tious.
The Governor was bom in Isle Disko, and had never been
out of it in his life. He did the honors of his town, com-
posed of three wooden houses for himself and the three
Lutheran ministers, a school, and a few shops, which were
stocked by shipwrecked vessels. The rest of the town con-
sisted of snow-huts, with one single opening, into which the
Esquimaux crawled on all- fours.
A great part of the inhabitants had gone out to meet the
Forward, and more than one advanced as far as the middle
of the bay in his kayak.
The Doctor knew that the word esquimaux means eater of
raw fish, but he also knew that this name is considered an
insult by the natives ; and he therefore took care to call them
*' Greenlanders."
And yet their oily sealskin clothes and boots, and the
greasy, foetid smell of both men and women — for one sex is
hardly distinguishable from the other — ^told plainly enough
the description of food on which they lived, as well as the
disease of leprosy which prevailed to some extent among
them, as it does among most ichthyophagous races, though it
did not affect their health.
The Lutheran clergyman and his wife, with whom the
Doctor was anticipating some pleasant intercourse, were on
a visitation in the south, below Upernavik, so he was obliged
to make the best of the Governor. This worthy functionary
was not very lettered; a little less intelligence would have
made him an ass; a little more, and he would have known
how to read.
The Doctor also wished to make a personal inspection of
an E^.<^tiimaux hut, but, fortunately for him, the entrance
262
PERILOUS NAVIGATION 263
was too small to allow of his admission. It was a happy
escape, for nothing can be more repulsive than the interior
of a Greenland hut, with its heap of dead and living things,
seal-flesh, and Esquimaux rotten fish, and stinking garments ;
not even a solitary window to purify the air; nothing but a
hole at the top, which allows the smoke to escape, but not the
foetid smell.
Shandon, meanwhile, was obeying the instructions of his
unknown commander, and procuring means of transport
over the ice. He had to pay £4 for a sledge and six dogs,
and even then the natives wished to get out of their bargain.
He also sought to engage the services of Hans Christian to
manage the dogs, the same young man that accompanied the
McClintock expedition, but found he had gone to the south
of Greenland.
But the most important part of Shandon's business was
to try and discover whether there was any European at
Upemavik waiting for the arrival of the Forward, Was
the Governor acquainted with any stranger, an Englishman
most probably, who had taken up his abode in this region?
When had he last had any intercourse with whalers or other
vessels ?
To these questions the Governor replied that not a single
stranger had landed on the coast for more than ten months.
It was evidently a hopeless mystery, and Shandon could not
help crowing a little over the disappointment of the sanguine
Doctor.
" You must owji it is quite inexplicable," he said ; " noth-
ing at Cape Farewell, nothing at Isle Disko, nothing at
Upemavik."
" Wait a few days, and if it turns out there is nothing at
Cape Melville either, I shall hail you as the only captain of
the Forward."
Towards evening, the whale-boat came back to the ship,
bringing Strong, the cook, with some dozens of eider-ducks'
eggs, twice the size of common hens' eggs, and of a greenish
color. His forage for fresh provisions had not been suc-
cessful, but still the eggs were a very welcome addition to the
salt junk.
The wind was favorable next day, but Shandon still de-
layed weighing anchor. He determined to wait till morning
to give time for anyone to come on board that wished, and
264 AT THE NORTH POLE
fired a salute from the cannon every hour to make known the
presence of the vessel. It made a tremendous noise among
the icebergs, but had no effect beyond frightening the moUy-
mokes and rotches, who came flying out in clouds. Squibs
and rockets in abundance were sent up during the night, but
equally without result There was no alternative but to
proceed.
By six o'clock next morning the Forward had lost sight
bf Upemavik and its ugly posts all along the shore, with
strips of seal intestines and paunches of deer hanging to dry.
The wind was S.E., and the temperature had risen to 32*.
The sun appeared through the fog, and the icebergs began
to give way a little beneath his melting beams.
The white, dazzling reflections of his rays, however, had
a disastrous effect on the men. Wolsten the gimner, Grip-
per, CUfton, and Bell, were attacked with snow blindness,
a very common disease in spring, and often terminating
among the Esquimaux in total loss of sight The Doctor
advised everyone, and especially those suffering from the
complaint, to wear a green gauze veil, and he was the first
to follow his own prescription.
The dogs Shandon had purchased at Upemavik turned
iout rather wild at first, but they soon became used to the
ship, and Captain got on very well with his new associates.
He seemed no stranger to their ways, and, as Clifton was
not slow to remark, he had evidently been among his Green-
land brethren before.
After leaving Upemavik the appearance of the coast quite
changed. Immense glaciers stood out against the gray sky,
and in the wesf, beyond the opening of Lancaster Sound,
vast ice-fields extended, ridged with hummocks at r^^ar
intervals. There was great danger of the brig becoming
nipped, as each instant the leads got more impracticable.
Shandon had the furnaces lighted, and till the nth man-
aged to pursue a winding course among the loose floes, but
on the morning of the 12th the Forward found herself beset
on all sides. Steam proved powerless, and there was no
altemative but to cut a way through the ice-fields. This
involved great fatigue, and a mutinous spirit began to mani-
fest Itself in some of the crew, such as Pen, Gripper, War-
ren, and Wolsten. Certainly it was hard labor to saw
through huge masses six and seven feet thick, and when
^
PERILOUS NAVIGATION 265
this was accomplished it was almost as hard to tow the
vessel along by means of the capstan and anchors fixed in the
ice in holes made with a center-bit The broken ice, too* had
to be constantly pushed back under the floes with long poles
tipped with iron, to keep a free passage, and all this physical
toil, amid blinding snow, or dense fog, combined with the
low temperature, the opbtbalmia, and tiit superstitious fears
of Clifton, contributed to weaken the mental and bodily
energy of die men.
When the sailors have to deal with a bold, intrepid, de-
cided leader, who knows his own mind and what he intends to
do, confidence is felt in spite of themselves; they are one in
heart with their captain, strong in his strength and calm
in his calmness. But the crew of the Forward were con-
scious of Shandon's irresolution and hesitancy, for, notwith-
standing his natural energy of character, he betrayed his
weakness by his frequent cotmtermand of orders^ by impru-
dent remarks, and in a thousand little things that did not
escape the iKDtice o;f his men.
The simple fact, besides, that Shandon was not the cap-
^in, was enough to make his orders matters of discussion,
and from discussion to rebellion is an easy step.
Before long, the malcontents had won over the head
engineer to their side, a man who had been hitherto a very
slave of duty.
On the i6th of May, six days from the time the Forward
had reached the ice-fields, Shandon had not made two miles
■farther north. This was a very serious aspect of affairs,
for they were in imminent danger of being locked in till the
next season.
About eight in the evening, Shandon and the Doctor, ac-
companied by Garry, went out on a voyage of discovery
over the vast outstretching plains of ice. They took care
not to go too far from the ship, for it would have been diffi-
cult to find the way back. The Doctor was quite amazed at
the peculiar effects of refraction. He came to a place where
he thought he had only to make a little jump, and found to
his surprise he had five or six feet to leap over, or vice versa,
a fall being the result in both cases, which, though not dan-
l^rous, was painful on such a hard sharp surface.
Shandon and his companions were in search of leads, or
^oaangMt cupenings, and in pursuance of this obj^# about
266 AT THE NORTH POLE
three miles from the ship, they climbed, tliough with con-
siderable difficulty, to the top of an iceberg, above three hun-
dred feet high. From this they had an extended view over
a widespread heap of desolation. It was like gazing at the
ruins of some mighty city, with its fallen obelisks and over-
turned towers and palaces. It was a veritable chaos, and far
as the eye could see, not a single lead was visible.
How shall we get through ? ** asked the Doctor.
I don't know," replied Shandon, " but get through we
must, even if we have to blast those mountains with powder.
I certainly have no intention of being imprisoned in the ice
till next spring."
" As the Fox was, just about this very same part," said
the Doctor. " Bah 1 we shall get out, never fear, with a
little philosophy. I would back that against all the engines
in the world."
" One must confess things don't look very favorable this
year."
" That is true enough. The aspect of the regions is much
the same as it was in 18 17."
" Do you suppose, then, Doctor, it is not always alike —
the same to-day as it has always been ? "
" Unquestionably I do, Shandon. From time to time sud-
den breakings up occur, which scientific men have never been
able to explain. Till 181 7 this sea was constantly blocked
up, but in that year an immense cataclysm took place, which
hurled the icebergs into the ocean, and many of them fell on
the Bank of Newfoundland. From that time Baffin's Bay
has been nearly free, and has become the rendezvous of
numerous whalers."
" It is easier now, then, for ships to go north ? " asked
Shandon.
" Immensely so," said the Doctor ; " but it has been a sub-
ject of remark, that for some years past there has been a
tendency in the Bay to refill and close again, an additional
reason why we should push on with all our might ; though,
I must confess, we are much like a party of strangers going
through unknown galleries, when each door closes behind as
they pass through, and cannot be reopened."
" Do you advise me to go back? " asked Shandon, look-
ing at the Doctor, as if he would read his inmost soul.
" / advise you to go back ! No, I have never yet learned
PERILOUS NAVIGATION 267
to put one foot behind the other, and I say go on, even
should we never return ; only, what I wish to impress on you
is this, that if we set to work imprudently, we know the risks
we incur."
"And you, Garry," asked Shandon, "what is your
opinion ? "
" I should go right on, certainly, sir. I agree with Mr.
Clawbonny. However, it rests with you entirely. Give
your orders, we will obey."
"All don't say so, Garry," was Shandon's reply. "All
are not in the mood to obey. Suppose they refuse? ' What
then?"
" I have told you my mind," replied Garry, coldly, " be-
cause you asked me, but you are not obliged to follow my
advice."
Shandon made no response ; but after carefully scanning
the horizon once more, climbed down the iceberg again, fol-
lowed by his two companions.
CHAPTER XI
THE devil's thumb
During Shandon's absence the crew had been busily en-
gaged in various attempts to lessen the pressure of the ice.
This task was entrusted to Pen, Clifton, Bolton, Gripper,
and Simpson, in addition to the two engineers and the
stokers, who had to take their share of work as sailors, now
that their services were not required at the engine.
" I tell you what," exclaimed Pen, angrily, " I have had
enough of this, and I swear that if the ice does not break
up within three days, I'll fold my arms, and not do another
hand's turn ! "
" Fold your arms ! " said Gripper ; " you had far better
use them to get back. Do you suppose we are inclined to
stay here all the winter till next spring? "
"Truly it would be a dismal place to winter in," said
Plover, " for the vessel is exposed on all sides."
"And who knows," asked Brunton the engineer,
" whether the sea will be a bit more open next spring than it
is to-day ? "
" It isn't a question of next spring," replied Pen; " this is
268 AT THE NORTH POLE
Thursday, and if the passage is not open by Sunday morn-
ing we turn round and go south"
" That's a sensible speech," said Clifton.
Do you go in for that? " inquired Pen.
Yes/' was the unanimous reply.
And it is only just," said Warren; "for if we are
obliged to work in this fashion, and tow the ship along by
main force, my opinion is that our labor would be better
spent in dragging it back."
" We shall see that on Simday," said Wolsten.
" Let me get orders," said Brunton, " and I'll soon light
the furnaces."
" As for that," returned Clifton, " we can light them our-
selves."
" If any one of the officers," continued Pen, " has a fancy
to winter here, he is quite at liberty. He'll find no difficulty
in making a snow-hut for himself, where he can live like a
regular Esquimaux."
"That's out of the question. Pen," said Brunton, "we
cannot leave anyone behind ; and, what's more, I don't think
the chief officer will be difficult to persuade. He seems
very uneaSy now, and if we propose the thing quietly to
him "
"That remains to be seen," said Plover. "Ridiard
Shandon can be a hard, obstinate man when he likes; we
must feel our way carefully."
" Only to think," said Bolton, eagerly, " that in a month's
time we might be back in Liverpool. We shall easily get
over the ice-belt down south. Davis's Straits will be open
at the beginning of June, and we have only to get right out
into the Atlantic."
"We have this to take into account besides," said the
prudent Clifton, "that, in getting Shandon to come back
with us, we act on his responsibility, and our shares and
bounty money are sure; whereas, if we return alone, it is at
least doubtful if we get them."
"But suppose the officers will not go back?" resumed
Pen, bent on pushing tlie question to the extreme.
There was no reply for a moment, and then Bolton said :
" We shall see when the time comes ; all we have to do now
is to win over Richard Shandon to our side, and I don't
think that will be difficult."
THE DEVIL'S THUMB 269
it
There is one on board, at all events, I'll leave behind,"
said Pen, with a frightful oath, " though he should eat my
arm off."
"That dog?" said Plover.
" Yes, that dog; and I mean to do for him before I am
much older."
"The sooner the better," replied Clifton, never weary
of his favorite subject " He is the cause of all our mis-
fortunes."
" I believe he dragged us into the ice," said Gripper.
" Ay, and gathered it up like this in front of us, for such
compact masses are never seen at this time of the year,"
added Wolsten.
" It is through him my eyes are so bad," said Brunton,
wearily.
" And through him we have neither gin nor brandy," said
Pen.
So the men went on, each one having his own grievance
against the dog
Worst of all," said Clifton, " he is the captain! "
A curse of a captain he is too I " exclaimed Pen, in a
paroxysm of senseless rage " Well, he determined to come
here, and here he shall stay."
" But how shall we got hold of him ? " said Plover.
" Now's our chance," replied Clifton ; " Shandon is not
on board ; Wall is alseep in his berth ; and the fog is so thick
that Johnson will never see us."
" But the dog? " interrupted Pen.
" Captain is lying asleep this moment close beside the coal-
bunker," replied Clifton; "if anyone chooses to "
" I'll undertake to get him," cried Pen in a fury.
"Take care, Pen; he has grinders that can break iron
bars."
" If he stirs I'll rip him up," declared Pen, taking up a
knife, as he rushed down between decks, followed by War-
ren, who wished to have a hand in the business.
Both came back presently, carrying the dog in their arms,
muzzled and tied up. They had surprised him in his sleep,
and escape was impossible.
" Hurrah for Pen ! " exclaimed Plover.
"And now what's to be done with him?" inquired
Qifton.
270 AT THE NORTH POLE
"Drown him, and see if he ever makes his appearance
again," replied Pen, with a grim smile of satisfaction.
About two hundred paces from the ship was a seal-hole, a
circular crevasse made by the animals, out of which they
come to breathe at certain intervals, basking on the surface
of the ice, retreating below when danger approaches.
Pen and Warren directed their course to this hole, and, in
spite of the poor dog's vigorous struggles, succeeded in
plunging him into the sea, pitilessly placing an immense
block of ice afterwards over the opening, to deprive him
completely of all hope of release from his liquid prison.
" A good voyage to you ! " shouted the cruel Pen as he
returned to the vessel with Warren, unperceived by Johnson,
for in addition to the thick fog the snow had commenced to
fall heavily.
About an hour afterwards Shandon and his two com-
panions came back. Shandon had discovered a single lead
to the north-east, and determined to take advantage of it
The crew obeyed his orders with alacrity, for three days still
remained; and, moreover, they wished to prove the im-
practicability of proceeding farther north.
Sawing the ice and tracking went on busily during a part
of that night and all next day, and the Forward had gained
two miles.
On the 1 8th they sighted land, and came within five or six
cables' length of a singular peak, called, from its strange
shape, the Devil's Thumb.
At the very same place the Prince 'Albert, in 1851 and the
"Advance, with Dr. Kane, in 1853, were caught in the ice
and detained for several weeks.
It was a dismal spot. The weird, fantastic form of the
towering peak, the dreary, desolate surroundings, the omin-
ous crackings of the glaciers, echoing and re-echoing over
the distant plains, and the vast encircling icebergs, some of
them three hundred feet high, invested the whole region
with peculiar gloom, and Shandon felt no time must be lost
in getting out of it. By dint of strenuous efforts, in twenty-
four hours he had pushed on about two miles ; but this was
not enough. Yet what was to be done? He felt as if his
energies were paralysed by the false position in which he
was placed, and a sort of shrinking fear began to creep
over him, for he knew that he could not carry out the in-
THE DEVIL'S THUMB 271
structions of his unknown captain, without exposing tKe ship
to great danger. The men were worn out. It took them
more than three hours to cut a passage twenty feet long
through floes four or five feet thick, and tlieir healtli was al-
ready seriously impaired. Shandon was also imeasy at the
silence of the crew and their unusual zeal; he dreaded it
might be the calm which precedes a storm.
Imagine, then, the painful surprise and disappointment,
even tlie despair, which he felt to find, through an insensible
movement of the ice-fields, the Forward lost in one night
the ground she had gained at the cost of so much fatigue.
On the morning of Saturday,^ the i8th, they were right in
front of the Devil's Thumb again, in a more critical position
than before, for the icebergs had increased, and passed like
phantoms through the fog.
Shandon was completely imnerved. His intrepid heart
failed him, and he, like his men, quaked for fear. He had
heard of the disappearance of the dog, but did not dare
make any inquiry, lest a mutiny should break out.
It was terrible weather that day. A whirlwind of snow
and thick mist wrapped the brig in an impenetrable veil. Oc-
casionally the violent tempest would dispel the fog for an
instant and disclose to the terrified gazer the gaunt, spectral
form of the Devil's Thumb. Nothing could be done or even
attempted except to anchor on an immense floe, for the
darkness momentarily increased, and the man at the wheel
could not even see the officer on watch at the bows.
Shandon retired to his cabin, a prey to the most torment-
ing anxieties. The Doctor employed himself in arranging
his notes, and the sailors lounged about the deck, or betook
themselves to the forecastle. The hurricane increased, and,
through a sudden rift in the fog, the Devil's Thumb ap-
peared slowly rising higher and higher.
" Good Heavens 1 '* exclaimed Simpson, starting back in
dismay.
" What's the matter ? " asked Foker.
He needed no "answer; for terrified outcries were Heard
on all sides — one exclaiming, " It is going to crush us ! " and
another, "We are lost! " and a third called loudly for Mr.
Wall and Shandon, who speedily obeyed the summons. The
Doctor followed, and for a minute all three stood in silent
amaze.
a/a AT THE NORTH POLE
It was a most alarming spectacle. ThrottgH a partial
opening in the fog, the Devil's Thumb seemed quite close to
.the ship ; its size increased to colossal magnitude, and on the
summit a second cone appeared, point downwards, as if
pivoted on the first, oscillating to and fro, and apparently
about to fall on the brig and crush her beneath its enormous
weight. Instinctively, everyone drew back, and several of
the sailors jumped down on the ice and left the ship.
** Every man to his post," shouted Shandon, in stem tones.
" No one is to leave the ship."
" Don't be afraid, my friends," said the Doctor. " There
is no danger. It is simply the effect of the mirage, Mr.
Shandon and Mr. Wall."
" You are right, Mr. Clawbonny," said Johnson. " These
silly fellows are terrified at a shadow I "
Most of the sailors came back at the Doctor's reassuring
words, and fear gave place to admiration, as they stood
gazing at the marvellous phenomenon, which only lasted a
few minutes longer.
" They call that a mirage," said Clifton, " but take my
word for it, some fiend has to do with it"
"That's sure and certain," said Gripper. But the rift
in the fog had revealed to Shandon's eyes a favorable lead,
and he determined to profit by it without delay.. He
placed the men on each side of the opening. The hawsers
were thrown out to them, and the work of tracking com-
menced.
They went on for many long hours, and Shandon had the
furnaces lighted to use all available means of getting
rapidly on.
" It is a providential chance," he said to Johnson, " and
if we can only make a few miles farther, iwe may be out
of difficulties. The men are in a mind to work, for they
are glad to get clear of the Devil's Thumb, so we will take
advantage of their mood as long as it lasts."
All of a sudden the brig ceased moving.
" What's wrong, Wall? " asked Shandon. *' Any of the
ropes broken ? "
" No, sir," said Wall, looking over the side, " but the
sailors are all running helter-skelter towards the ship, and
here some of them are climbing up the side as if they were
out of their wits with fright'
THE DEVIL'S THUMB 273
"What's the matter?'* called Shandon, coming towards
the bows.
" L^t us on board 1 Let us on board I " exclaimed the
sailors in panic-stricken tones.
Shandon looked towards the north and shuddered.
^ strange-looking animal, with smoking tongue hanging
but of enormous wide open jaws, was bounding towards the
ship, and had come within a cable's length of her. He
seemed more than twenty feet high ; his hair stood on end,
and his formidable tail, fvdl ten feet long, swept the snow
and sent it fl)ring in thick clouds. He was evidently in pur-
suit of the sailors, and the apparition of such a monster was
enough to scare the bravest.
" It is a bear I " said one.
" It is a dragon 1 " exclaimed another.
" It is the lion in the Revelation I " suggested a third,
while Shandon ran to his cabin and seized a loaded pistol.
The Doctor armed himself with a revolver, and stood ready
to fire at the huge animal, who seemed, from his enormous
size, to belong to the antediluvian world.
The beast came nearer, making tremendus leaps and
Shandon and the Doctor discharged their weapons
simultaneously. An unlooked-for result followed. The
sudden explosion shook the atmosphere and changed the
entire aspect of things
The Doctor burst out laughing, and said, " Refraction
again !
" Refraction ! " exclaimed Shandon.
But the crew shouted "The dog! the dog-captain I " and
Pen thundered out, " Ah I it is the dog, always that cursed
And the dog it really was, who had snapped his cords and
mana&[ed to get out on the ice again at another seal-hole.
Refraction, which is common enough in Arctic latitudes,
had made him assume these formidable dimensions, while
the vibration in the atmosphere had restored him to his orig-
inal proportions. But this occurrence had a bad effect on
the sailors, who were by no means disposed to accept a
purely physical explanation of it. The strange phenomenon
at the Devil's Thumb, and the reappearance of the dog un-
der such peculiar circumstances, brought things to a clunax,
and loud murmurings were heard on all sides.
CHAPTER XII
CAPTAIN HATTERAS
The Forward steamed rapidly along through the open
channel. Johnson took the wheel himself, and Shandon
kept a vigilant look-out on the horizon. His joy was of
short duration, for he soon saw that the channel terminated
in a circle of motmtains.
However, he determined to go on and take his chance,
rather than turn back.
The dog ran beside the brig on the ice, but kept a good
distance off. Strangely enough, however, if he got too far
behind, a peculiar whistle was heard, which recalled him im-
mediacy.
The first time this whistle was noticed, the sailors were
all on deck. They looked about, but no stranger could be
seen far or near, and yet the whistle was distinctly repeated
several times.
Clifton was the first to sound an alarm.
" Do you hear that ? " he asked ; " and, look, how the
animal bounds along when he is called."
" It is quite incredible," replied Gripper.
" This finishes it," exclaimed Pen. ** I'll go no farther."
" Pen is right," said Brunton. " It is tempting Heaven."
" Tempting the fiend ! " replied Clifton. " I'd rather lose
my share than go another step."
" We shall never return," said Bolton, in a dejected tone.
It was clear the crew were ripe for mutiny.
** Not another step! Are we all agreed on that? "
" Yes ! " was the unanimous reply.
" Well, then," said Bolton, " let us go to Shandon ; I'll
be spokesman."
Off they went in a body to the poop.
The Forward was just entering at that moment a vast
amphitheatre, perhaps about eight himdred feet in diameter,
without a single outlet save the passage by which they had
reached it.
Shandon felt he had imprisoned his ship and himself, but
what was to be done ? A heavy responsibility rested on his
shoulders.
The Doctor folded his arms and silently gazed at the
surrounding ice-walls, the average height of which was three
hundred feet.
274
CAPTAIN HATTERAS 275
At that moment Bolton came up with his friends, and
said in a voice trembling with excitement :
" Mr. Shandon, we cannot go farther."
" You say that to me ? " exclaimed Shandon, his cheek
crimsoning with passion.
"We say this, we have done enough for our invisible
captain, and we have made up our minds to go no farther."
" You have made up your minds ? You speak like that,
Bolton? Take care."
" Your threats won't hinder us," said Pen, rudely.
Shandon had made a few steps towards this rebellious
crew, when Johnson came up to him and said in a low voice :
" If we wish to get out of this there is not an instant to
lose. An iceberg is fast nearing the channel, which may
completely block it up, and keep us here prisoners."
After a brief survey, Shandon turned towards the men
and said :
" You shall give an account of this conduct to me by-and-
by. Meantime, turn about the ship."
The sailors rushed to their posts. The Forward shifted
rapidly. Fresh fuel was supplied to the furnaces, and the
engine worked at high pressure, for everytliing depended on
speed. It was a race between the brig and the iceberg.
" Put on more steam ! " shouted Shandon, and the en-
gineer obeyed at all risks, almost endangering the safety of
the brig ; but his efforts were in vain. The iceberg had been
caught by some deep-sea current, and was bearing down
fast towards the passage. The brig was still more than
three cables' length off when the berg entered, and, adhering
firmly to the ice on either side, shut up the outlet entirely.
" We are lost ! " exclaimed Shandon, imprudently.
" Lost ! " re-echoed from the crew.
" Let each take care of himself! " said one.
" Try the boats ! " said another.
" Let's go to the stores ! " said Pen. " If we are to be
drowned, we may as well drown ourselves in gin."
The general disorder had reached its highest pitch, and
broken all bounds. Shandon felt himself powerless. His
tongue seemed palsied, and the power of speech forsook him.
The Doctor paced up and down in an agitated manner,
while Johnson folded his arms, and maintained a stoical
silence.
276 AT THE NORTH POLE
Suddenly a loud, commanding, impressive voice thundered
out the words :
" Every man to his post Stop the ship ! "
Johnson instinctively obeyed, and it was high time, for
the Forward was steaming along at such a rate, that,
before another minute, it must have dashed against the
rocky walls.
But Johnson was the only man that obeyed. Shandon,
Clawbonny, and the entire crew, even the stoker and the
cook, assembled on deck, and they all saw a man coming out
of the captain's cabin, the mysterious cabin, so closely locked
hitherto, the key of which was in the captain's sole posses-
sion. This man was none other than the sailor Garry.
" Sir," said Shandon, turning pale. " Garry, you —
what right have you to command? "
" Duk I " called Garry, giving the same identical whistle
which had so perplexed the crew.
At the soimd of his right name the dog. gave one bound
on to the poop, and stretched himself quietly at his master's
feet. Not one of the crew said a word. The possession of
the key, the dog sent by him, which now proved, as it were,
his identity, together with the tone of command, which it
was impossible to mistake, had a great effect on the minds
of the men, and sufficed to establish Garry's authority.
Besides, Garry was hardly recognizable. He had shaved
off his big whiskers, and his face appeared more impassive
than before, and more energetic and imperious. He was
dressed now as befitted his rank, and had the air of one used
to command.
The crew were quite taken by storm, and, with sailor-
like mobility of character, burst out in loud dieers for the
captain, who desired Shandon to muster them in order, as
he wished to inspect them. When they were all drawn up
in file, he passed along in front of them and had a suitable
word to say to each, treating them according to their past
conduct.
Then he mounted the poop, and in a calm voice said :
" Officers and sailors, I am an Englishman like yourselves,
and my motto is that of Admiral Nelson, * England expects
every man to do his duty.'
"As an Englishman I am unwilling, we are unwilling,
that any should be braver than ourselves, and venture where
CAPTAIN HATTERAS 277
we have not been. As an Englishman it vexes me, it vexes
us, that others should have the glory of penetrating the
Artie regions farther than ourselves. If ever human foot
shall tread on polar ground, it must be the foot of an En-
glishman. See, yonder waves your country's flag! I have
fitted out this ship, I have consecrated my fortune to this
enterprise, I will consecrate my life and yours to it, but that
flag shall float over the North Pole. Have no fear. For
each degree north you make from this day you shall re-
ceive f 1000 sterling. We have only reached the 72nd yet,
and there are 90. My name will guarantee my good faith.
I am Captain Hatteras ! "
*' Captain Hatteras ! " exclaimed Shandon.
This name had an ominous sound, for he was well known
among sailors as a man who stuck at nothing to gain his
end, and had little regard for his own or any other man's
life
" And now," resumed Hatteras, " let the brig be anchored
to icebergs, and order the furnaces to be put out. Each man
resume his usual occupation ; and, Shandon, I wish to speak
with you in my cabin. I must talk matters over with you
and the Doctor, and Johnson and Wall. Boatswain, dismiss
the men."
And who was this Hatteras? He was the only son of
a brewer in London, who left an immense fortune. He
went to sea in early youth, notwithstanding his brilliant
prospects. Not that he had any love for the merchant
service; but he had a burning longing after geographical
discoveries. Lean and wiry in body, like most men of
sanguine temperament, of average height, well-knit frame,
and muscles like iron; with a calm, rigid face, and thin, com-
pressed lips, and cold though fine eyes, he looked the very
personification of a man who would stick at nothing. He
was one who would never draw back from what he had
begun, and who would stake other men's lives as deliberately
as his own. People had need think twice before committing
themselves to any of his projects.
John Hatteras had all the pride of an Englishman to ex-
cess. It was he that said one day to a Frenchman, who, with
true national courtesy, tried to pay him a compliment, by
declaring that if he had not been a Frenchman he should
have wished to be an Englishman : " And I, sir, if I had
278 AT THE NORTH POLE
not been an Englishman, should have wished to be an En-
glishman/'
The speech showed the man. His most ardent desire was
that his country should have the monopoly in geographical
discoveries, and it was a great grief to him that in the fif-
teenth and sixteenth centuries England had no place in the
glorious phalanx of navigators. True, in modem times
she ca^^ boast her roll of illustrious names ; but that was not
enough to satisfy Hatteras ; he must needs invent a country
to have the honor of finding it He had remarked the fact,
that though the English were far behind in respect of dis-
covery, there was one comer of the globe where their efforts
seemed concentrated — the Arctic regions. He was not con-
tent with the successful search for the North- West Pas-
sage; the Pole itself must be reached, and he had twice made
the attempt in vessels equipped at his own expense. To
accomplish this was the one purpose of his life.
After several prosperous voyages in the southern seas,
Hatteras made his first venture north by Baffin's Bay,
in his sloop, the Halifax, but did not succeed in getting
higher than the 74th degree of latitude. The sufferings of
his crew were frightful, and his foolhardy daring was
carried to such a pitch that the sailors had little inclination
for another voyage under such a captain.
However, in 1850, Hatteras equipped a schooner, the
Farewell, and managed to enlist twenty gallant fellows in
his service, but only by throwing out the temptmg bait of
high wages. It was at that time that Dr. Clawbonny wrote
to him, requesting to take part in the expedition ; but the post
of surgeon was already fUled up, and fortunate it was for
the Doctor.
The Farwell pushed as far north as the 76th degree, but
there she was forced to winter. The crew were exposed
to so many hardships, and the cold was so intense, that not
a man survived but John Hatteras himself, and he was res-
cued by a Danish whaler, after a march across the ice of two
hundred miles
His retum alone produced a great sensation in Liverpool.
Who would ever dare to accompany Hatteras again in his
mad attempts? Yet he himself never despaired, and his
father just then died, leaving him a nabob's fortune.
In the interim, a brig, the Advance, manned by seventeen
CAPTAIN HATTERAS 279
men, and commanded by Dr. Kane, was sent out by Grin-
nell, an American merchant, to the discovery of Franklin.
It got as far, by Baffin's Bay and Smith's Straits, as the
82nd degree — ^nearer the Pole than any previous adventurers.
The vessel was American, Grinnell was American, Kane
was American. This fact was a great grief to Hatteras, and
the mortification of being outstripped by the Yankees
rankled in his heart He resolved that, come what might,
he would distance them all and reach the Pole.
For two years he had been living in Liverpool, preserving
a strict incognito. He passed for a sailor ; he discovered the
man he wanted in Ridiard Shandon, and made proposals
both to him and Dr. Clawbonny by anonymous letters. The
Forward was built, manned, and equipped. Hatteras took
care to keep his name a secret, for he would not have found
a single sailor to follow him. He determined not to take
command of the brig unless compelled by imperative neces-
sity, and not till the crew had gone too far to recede. He
had also, as we have seen, kept such tempting offerings as
glittering gold in reserve, that the poor fellows could not
have refused to follow him to the world's end.
And to the world's end, indeed, it was that he vowed to
go-
Now that affairs had come to a crisis, John Hatteras
hesitated no longer to proclaim himself openly. His dog,
the faithful Duk, who had been the companion of his voy-
ages, was the first to acknowledge him, and happily for the
brave, and unhappily for the timid, it was settled beyond dis-
pute that the captain of the Forward was John Hatteras.
CHAPTER XIII
CAPTAIN HATTERAS DISCLOS^ HIS PLANS
The unexpected appearance of this bold personage did
not produce the same effect on all the crew. Some rallied
round him, completely attracted by his daring or by the love
of money. Others were willing to join in the adventure,
while reserving to themselves the right of protest at some
future time. Besides, it would be no easy matter to resist
such a man. The 20th was on a Sunday, and was kept as
a day of rest for all on board.
28o AT THE NORTH POLE
K council of officers was held by the captain in his cabin,
comprising Shandon, Wall, Johnson, and the Doctor.
" Gentlemen," said Hatteras, in the gentle yet commanding
tone peculiar to him, " you are aware of my project to reach
the North Pole. I desire to know your opinion about it-
What do you think, Shandon ? "
*' My business, captain, is not to think, but obey,'' said
Shandon, coldly.
Hatteras showed no surprise at such a retort, but replied
equally coldly : " Richard Shandon, I request your opinion
as to our chance of success."
" Well, captain," was the answer, ** farts will speak for
me. Every attempt of tfic kind has hitherto failed; I hope
we may be more fortunate."
'^ We shall be," said the captain. ^ And you, geatlemeii,
what do you think of it ? "
" For my part," returned the Doctor, ^ I think your plan
is practicable, and as it is evident that some day or cither
the Pole will be reached by navigators, I doa^t see why it
should not be us as well as others."
" And there are also reasons why it should be so," re*
sumed Hatteras ; *^ all our measures have been adopted with
a view to that end, and we shall profit by the experience of
our predecessors. By the way, Shandon, thank you for
your painstaking care in the equipment of the ship. There
are, to be sure, a few black sheep among the crew diat I
must take in hand; but, on the whole, I have nothing but
praise to bestow."
Shandon bowed stiffly. He felt his false position acutely.
Hatteras imderstood his silence, and did not press him
further.
" As for you, gentlemen," he continued, addressing Wall
and Johnson, " I could not have the cooperation of braver or
more experienced officers."
"Anyhow, captain, Fm your man," replied Johnson;
"and though I must say I think your enterprise a Uttle
hazardous, you may rely on me, come what may.'*
And equally on me," said James Wall,
And for you. Doctor, all I can say is, I tmow your
worth."
" Well, that is more than I do," replied the little man,
smiling
€€
CAPTAIN HATTERAS'S PLANS 281
€€
But now, gentlemen," resumed Hatteras, "It is well
that you should know on what indisputable facts I base my
expectation of reaching the Pole. In 1817, the Neptune,
of Aberdeen, went north from Spitzberg, as far as the 82n(i
degree. In 1826, the celebrated Parry, after his third voy-
age in the Artie Seas, went also north from Spitzberg a hun-
dred and fifty miles. In 1852, Captain Inglefield sailed up
Smith's Sound as far as the 78th degree. All these vessels
were English, and commanded by Englishmen, our fellow-
countrymen."
Hatteras paused here, and went on in a sort of constrained
voice, as if the words could hardly find utterance. " I ought
to add that, in 1854, the American, Dr. Kane, in command
of the brig 'Advance, got still higher; and that Morton, his
lieutenant, crossed the ice-fields and hoisted the flag of the
Union beyond the 82nd degree. Having said this, I shall
not revert again to the subject What I wish to tell you is,
that the captains of all these vessels agree in stating that, ex-
tending from these high latitudes, there is a polar basin en-
tirely free from ice."
"Free from ice!" exclaimed Shandon; "that's impos-
sible."
The captain's eyes flashed for an instant, but he replied
calmly: "You will please to notice, Shandon, that I am
giving you facts and names ^"
"But, captain," interrupted Shandon again, "the facts
are so contradictory ! "
Wrong, Shandon, wrong," said Dr Clawbonny;
science goes to support these facts, not to disprove
them, as I should like to show you, if the captain will
allow me."
Say on. Doctor," said Hatteras.
Well, Shandon, listen, then. It is clear, from geo-
graphical facts and from the study of the isothermal lines,
that the coldest point of the globe is not at the Pole, but
several degrees from it. Hence Brewster and Bergham,
and others conclude that there are two points of greatest
cold, one in Asia, in 79* 30' of north latitude and 120'' of
east longtitude ; the otJier in America, in 78"* of north latitude
and 97* of west longitude. It is this latter which concerns
us; and, you see, Shandon, it is situated about 12* below
the Pole. Now, then, I ask you, why should not the sea at
it
t€
282 AT THE NORTH POLE
the Pole be as free from ice as it is in the summer in the 66th
parallel, that is to say, to the south of Baffin's Bay? "
" Mere chimeras and suppositions ! Sheer conjecture ! "
replied Shandon, obstinately.
"Well, Shandon, let us consider the case both ways.
Either there is a clear, open sea, or there is not. If there
is, the Forward will sail along without difficulty, if it is all
frozen over we shall use our sledges, and so whichever it
may turn out, there is nothing to hinder us gaining the Pole.
You will allow it is not impracticable; when once the brig
gets as far as the 83*, we have only six bundred miles farther
to go."
" And what is that ! " exclaimed the enthusiastic Doctor,
" when we know that a Cossack, Alexis Markoflf, traveled
along the northern coast of the Russian Empire over the
Frozen Sea, in sledges drawn by dogs, a distance of eight
hundred miles, in twenty- four days ? "
"You hear that, Shandon?" returned Hatteras; "and
now tell me if Englishmen cannot do as much as the
Cossacks ? "
" I should think so 1 " exclaimed Johnson and the Doctor ;
but Shandon made no reply till Hatteras said : " Come,
Shandon, tell me."
Then all he said was in a freezing tone.
" Captain, I can only repeat what I have already told
you — I will obey."
"Well," continued Hatteras, "let us look now at our
actual situation. We are caught among the ice, and it
seems to me impossible to get into Smith's Sound this year.
This is what we had better do, then."
He unfolded a map and spread it out on the table, and
tracing the route with his finger, said :
" Please to follow me. Though Smith's Sound is closed
against us, Lancaster Soimd is not, on the west side of
Baffin's Bay. My opinion is, that we should enter this and
go up as far as Barrow's Straits, and from thence on to
Beechey Isle. Sailing vessels have taken this course a hun-
dred times, and certainly with our screw it could not be more
difficult, at any rate. Once at Beechey Isle, we will get as
far north as possible up Wellington Channel, and come out
just at the very point from which the open water was visible.
This is only the 20th of May ; under favorable circumstanccf
CAPTAIN HATTERAS'S PLANS 283
we shall be there in a month, and make it our starting point
for the Pole. What is your opinion, gentlemen ? "
" It is clearly our only course," said Johnson.
" Well, we shall adopt it then, and start to-morrow. Let
us make this Sunday a day of rest, and be sure tliat you at-
tend, Shandon, to the regiilar reading of the Scriptures with
the men. These religious observances have a most salutary
effect on the human spirit, and a sailor especially needs to
put his trust in God."
" I will see to it," replied Shandon, as he went away with
Johnson and Wall.
" Doctor," said the captain, when they were left alone,
" that man, Shandon, can't get over his mortification ! He
is eaten up with pride; I can no longer depend on him."
Next morning the boat was lowered, and Hatteras went
round in it to examine all the icebergs in the basin. He
noticed during his survey that its dimensions were con-
stantly narrowing, owing to the slow, steady pressure of
moving ice, and that consequently the brig would be crushed
inevitably before long, unless an immediate breach was
made The energy of the man was shown by the plan he
took to effect this.
His first business was to have steps cut in one of the ice-
bergs, and climb to the top of it From this elevation he
saw there would not be much difficulty in clearing a passage
to the south-west. He ordered a mine to be dug almost
to the heart of the mountain, and in the chamber of this he
deposited 1000 lbs. of gunpowder. The blasting cylinders
were only adapted for breaking ice-fields ; they would have
been useless against the towering masses by which the brig
was encircled. A gutta-percha tube containing a wick was
carried from the chamber to the outside, and the passage
communicating was filled up with snow and blocks of ice,
which the ensuing night, combined with the action of the
east wind, would make as solid as granite
All this preparation was Monday's work, and next morn-
ing by seven o'clock the Forward was under steam, ready
to seize the first opening to make her exit. Johnson was en-
trusted with the lighting of the taper, which was reckoned to
burn for half an hour before coming in contact with the
powder This was ample time to ensure his safe return to
the vessel, and, in fact, he was back in ten minutes.
284 AT THE NORTH POLE
The crew were all on deck, and the weather was fine and
tolerably clear, for the snow had ceased to falL Hatteras
stood on the poop with Shandon and the Doctor, counting
the minutes by his chronometer.
At thirty-five minutes to eight a dull explosion was heard,
far less astounding than might have been expected. The
outline of the mountains suddenly changed as in an earth-
quake, a thick white smoke rose towards the sky, and long
crevasses striped the sides of the iceberg, the summit of
which seemed hurled from a distance, and fell in shattered
fragments roimd the Forward.
But the pass was not yet open Enormous blocks of ice
remained suspended in the air, propped up by the adjacent
mountains, and their fall would only block up the basin
still further
Hatteras took in the situation at a glance, and calling to
the gunner, desired him to triple load the cannon.
" What ! are we going to attack the mountain with can-
non-balls ? " asked the Doctor.
" Not exactly," said Hatteras, " that would be useless.
No ball, Wolsten, but only a triple charge of powder. Be
quick!"
All was ready in a few minutes.
" What will he do without ball ? " muttered Shandon.
" We'll see," said the Doctor.
But the brig was too far from the iceberg, and Hatteras
ordered the engineer to put the screw in motion A few
turns was sufficient, and the command was given — Fire ! A
considerable explosion followed, which caused such an at-
mospheric commotion that the blocks were suddenly pre-
cipitated into the sea.
" Put on all steam possible, Brtmton 1 " shouted the
captain ; " and get right out, Johnson, into the pass ? "
Johnson seized the helm, the Forward dashed through the
foaming waves, and next minute was free It was a sharp
run for her, and she had scarcely cleared the opening be-
fore the prison closed again behind her.
It was a moment of intense excitement, and there was but
one heart on board that beat quietly. This w^s the cap-
tain's, and the crew, unable to restrain their feelings of ad-
miration for him, burst out into cheers, and shouted,
" Hurrah for John Hatteras ! "
CAPTAIN HATTERAS'S PLANS 285
On Wednesday, the 23rd May, the Forward resumed her
adventurous navigation, skillfully tacking so as to keep
clear of packs and bergs, thanks to her steam, that obe-
dient power that has been so often wanting in Arctic ships.
The temperature was rising. At 6 a. m. the thermome-
ter stood at 26 deg., at 6 p. m. at 29, and at midnight 25.
A light breeze was blowing from the south-east.
About three o'clock on Thursday morning the Forward
came in sight of Possession Bay, on the coast of America,
and soon afterwards caught a glimpse of Cape Bumey.
Several Esquimaux were making hard for the ship, but Hat-
teras had no time to waste waiting for them. The puffins,
and ducks, and white gulls were very numerous ; and in the
distance the snowy hoods of the Catherine and Elizabeth
mountains were visible above the clouds.
On Friday, at six o'clock, Cape Warender was passed on
the right, and Admiralty Inlet on the left. There was a
strong sea, and heavy waves frequently dashed over the
bridge.
Hatteras would have liked to keep along the northern
coast for the sake of reaching Beechey Isle sooner, but an
impenetrable barrier of ice barred his further progress in
that direction, and he was, to his great vexation, forced to
go by the south.
This was the reason why the Forward found herself on
the 26th at Cape York, easily recognized by a lofty and al-
most perpendicular mountain which overlooks it The lati-
tude was found on observation to be 74® 4", and the longi-
tude 84* 2^".
Hatteras opened the map, and pointed out to the Doctor
the routes they had been taking and meant to take.
" We are in cross roads, I may call it," he said, " open to
the wind on all sides. Here is Lancaster Sound, Regent In-
let, Wellington Channel, and Barrow's Straits."
" It is a wonder to me how navigators know which route
to take, when they have all four to c'hoose from."
" Believe me there is little choice in the matter Some-
times Barrow's Straits are closed one year and open the
next, and sometimes there is no passage at all but through
Regent's Inlet."
" How the wind blows ! " said the Doctor, drawing his
hood closer over his ears."
286 AT THE NORTH POLE
"Yes, the north wind especially; it is so strong as to
drive us out of our course."
" Well, but if it does that it surely ought to drive the ice
south, and clear the way."
" It ought, but the wind doesn't always do what it ought
Look at that ice-field ahead ; it looks perfectly impenetrable,
and yet we must try to find some opening, for get to Beechey
Isle I must at any rate, to replenish our stock of coal."
" Can you get coal there? " asked the Doctor, in astonish-
ment
" Most certainly. By order of the Admiralty, great stores
were deposited there for the benefit of future expeditions ;
and though McClintock may have availed himself of them
in 1859, Siere will be some left for us, I assure you."
" The Admiralty always kept five or six ships out here,
I believe, till it was proved beyond a doubt that tiie whole of
Franklin's ill-fated expedition had perished."
"Yes, they did. For fifteen years these regions were
being explored, and one good result has followed an)rway —
that is our knowledge of the Polar Seas has greatly in-
creased."
" It could hardly be otherwise, seeing the number of ex-
peditions since 1848, When the first alarm was raised about
the missing ships. Since McClintock returned in the Fox,
however, not another vessel has ventured to try her fortune
in those dangerous seas."
" Well, we'll try ours," said Hatteras, " come what may."
CHAPTER XIV
THE " FORWARD " DRIVEN SOUTH
The weather cleared towards evening, and the shore be-
came visible between Cape Sepping and Cape Clarence.
The sea was open towards Regent Inlet, but as if the Fates
had conspired against the Forward's progress north, there
was still an impassable barrier of ice, which shut them out
from Port Leopold.
Hatteras, who was extremely annoyed, though he did not
show it outwardly in the least degree, had to fall back on
his powder again to force an entrance, but he succeeded in
getting in by mid-day on Sunday, the 27th of May, and
DRIVEN SOUTH 287
safely moored his brig to great icebergs hard and solid as
rocks.
A few minutes afterwards he jumped down on the ice
and went ashore, followed by the Doctor and Johnson, and
the faithful Duk, who was almost frantic with joy at being
on land again. He had grown much more sociable and
gentle since his master was acknowledged captain, reserving
his animosity for certaiil folks among the crew, who were
no greater favorites with him than they were with Hatteras.
The port inside was tmusually free from ice, and the steep
perpendicular cliffs were gracefully wreathed with snow.
The house and beacon constructed by James Ross were still
in a tolerable state of preservation, but the provisions had
been ransacked by the foxes and bears, and showed marks
of recent visits from them. Likely enough, two-footed mar-
auders had been there too, for ruins of Esquimaux huts were
visible about the bay.
The six graves, marked by little hillocks, where six of the
crews of tfie Enterprise and Investigator lay buried, re-
mained intact, respected alike by man and beast
It is impossible to set foot for the first time on lAirtic
groimd without a feeling of peculiar emotion, as one relic
and another is discovered, and the excitable little Doctor
was almost overcome.
'* Look ! " he said to his companions ; " there is the house
that James Ross called * The Camp of refuge ! ' If Frank-
lin's Expedition had reached this spot it would have been
saved. There is the very engine Ross left behind, too, and
the stove where the crew of the Albert warmed themselves
in 1851, looking just as if Kennedy, the captain, had but just
quitted the place yesterday! And there is the sloop that
sheltered him and his party for several days when they got
separated from the ship, and must have perished but for
Lieutenant Bellott, who set out to seek them, even though
it was October."
" I knew Bellott," said Johnson, " and a brave, noble
officer he was."
While the Doctor was pursuing his investigations with'
all the enthusiasm of an antiquary, Hatteras was busily
exploring in all directions for food and fuel, though he met
with small success. The next day was employed in carry-
ing what he had found to the ship. The Doctor meantime
288 AT THE NORTH POLE
continued his rambles, taking care not to get too far away.
He sketched a good many of the principal objects of interest,
and managed to make a pretty fair collection of the different
varieties of Arctic birds. He also saw several large seals,
lying by their breathing-holes on the ice, but could not shoot
any of them. In one of his excursions he discovered a large
stone with this inscription on it:
[E. I.]
1849.
These were the initials of the Enterprise and Investigator,
a memento left behind of their voyage He went on as far
as Cape Clarence, where John and James Ross waited, in
1833, so impatiently, for the breaking up of the ice. The
ground was strewn over with bones and the skulls of
animals, and traces were seen of Esquimaux huts.
The Doctor was thinking of setting up a cairn at Port
Leopold, with a written statement in it of the arrival of the
Forward, and the object of the expedition, but Hatteras was
so decidedly opposed to leaving any indications whatever of
their progress, lest some rival should take advantage of
them, that the Doctor had to abandon his project Shandon
greatly blamed the captain's infatuation, as in the event of
any misfortune happening to the Forward no vessel could go
to her rescue.
But Hatteras would listen to no reason, and the moment
loading was completed he recommenced his efforts to break
through the ice. After many dangerous attempts, however,
he was forced to give it up, and go back the way he came,
through Regent's Inlet, for he would not winter in Port
Leopold for an3rthing. It was open meantime, certainly,
but a sudden dislodgment of the ice-fields might close them
in any moment.
Hatteras was almost distracted with anxiety, though' there
was no outward manifestation of it He had no alternative
but to turn his ship and go south, come what might
Regent's Channel is sJbout the same width the whole ex-
tent from Port Leopold to Adelaide Bay. The Forward
was more fortunate than most ships, for she made an un-
interrupted passage through, thanks to her steam, instead
of beating about for a month or more, often driven back by
contrary winds.
Most of the crew were well content to turn their backs
V. n Venra
DRIVEN SOUTH 289
on the nortK. THey had no sympathy with the captain's
project of reaching the Pole — indeed, they were ahnost
terrified at him, dreading what next he might attempt, for
they knew how little he cared for consequences.
It was evening when the brig came in sight of Edwin
Bay, easily recognized by its high perpendicular rocks ; and
the next morning she saw Batty Bay in the distance, where
the Prince Albert spent her long dreary winter.
The Doctor and Johnson, perhaps, were the only in-
dividuals on board who took any interest in the country.
Hatteras was always poring over his charts, and hardly
spoke a word. The farther south they went, the more taci-
turn he become, often sitting on the poop for hours to-
gether, with folded arms, gazing gloomily on the horizon,
and any orders he gave were in the fewest words possible
and in sharp, stem tones. Shandon kept himself aloof as
much as he could, and gradually withdrew from all inter-
course with Hatteras beyond what actual business required.
James Wall was still devoted to Shandon, and faithfully
copied his example. The rest of the crew were watching
the course of events, ready to take the side that would be
best for their own interests. There was no longer on the
ship that unity of purpose and interchange of sentiment
which is so necessary for the accomplishment of great things.
Hatteras knew this well.
Two whales were seen during the day, and a white bear,
but time was too precious to waste in pursuit of them,
tijough a few ineffectual shots were fired.
On Wednesday morning the extremity of the inlet was
reached, and the brig pursued her course, keeping along the
west coast round a point, which, on referring to the chart,
the Doctor foimd was Somerset House, or Fury Point.
"This, then," he said to Johnson, "is the very point
where the Fury was so broken by the ice in 181 5 that she
had to be abandoned, and her crew went on board her con-
sort, the Hecla, and returned home to England."
"That is the advantage of having a second ship, you
see," replied Johnson ; " but Captain Hatteras is not the man
to be fettered with a companion ! "
"Do you think that it is imprudent of him, Johnson?"
asked Qawbonny.
I? I think nothing about it, Mr. Qawbonny. Stop I
it
290 AT THE NORTH POLE
Do you see those stakes on the shore, with tattered rags
hanging on them, as if a tent had once been there? "
*' Yes, Johnson ; it was there that Parry disembarked his
ship's stores; and; if my memory is correct, the roof of the
house he built was made of a topsail, covered over with the
nmning rigging of the Fury"
*' But that was in 1825. It must be very nmch changed
since then."
" Not altogether though, Johnson. In 1829, John Ross
found that little frail hut life and health to his crew. In
1851, when Prince Albert sent out an expedition, it was stiU
standing. Captain Kennedy had it repaired, and that was
nine years ago. It would be an interesting memorial to go
ashore and examine, but Hatteras is not in the mood to
stop I "
" And there is no doubt he is right, Mr Qawbonny. If
time is money in England, out here it is salvation; and to
stop a day — ay, even an hour — ^might ruin a voyage. Let
him act as he thinks right"
On Thursday, the ist of June, the weather became milder,
the thermometer rising to thirty-two degrees. Summer
made its influence felt even in those Artie regions, and the
men were glad to lay aside some of their winter coverings.
Towards evening, the Forward doubled Cape Garry, about
a quarter of a mile from shore, and went on to Brentford
Bay, keeping as close to the coast as possible, for the fog
had increased with the heat, and a close watch was necessary
for the discovery of Bellot's Strait. It was somewhere in
this latitude, but, if closed by ice, so perfectly imdistinguish-
able from the land, that Sir John Ross never suspected its
existence even in 1828, and, though he noted down and
named the smallest irregularities with the greatest care on
his charts, he made this one continuous coast
It was Captain Kennedy who really discovered the Straits
in 1852, and called them after the French officer, as a just
tribute of gratitude for the important services he had
rendered the expedition.
CHAPTER XV
THE MAGNETIC POLE
The nearer Hatteras approached the Strait, the more his
anxiety increased. He f dt the fate of his voyage was about
to be decided, for though he had outstripped all his prede-
cessors up to this time, as even McClintock, the most for-
tunate of them, had taken fifteen months to reach the same
place, it mattered little, indeed nothing, if he could not suc-
ceed in getting through Bellot's Strait
He would trust the look-out to no one, but went tip to
tlie "crow's-nest" himself, and stayed there the greater
part of Saturday morning.
The crew tmderstood perfectly their critical position, and
preserved an unbroken silence. The engine had slackened
s^ed, and the bri^ kept to the shore as closely as possible ;
but it needed a practiced eye to discover the least opening
among those close packs. ^
Hatteras was comparing his charts and the coast The
sun broke out for a brief instant before noon, and Shandon
and Wall managed to take a pretty correct observation,
which they reported aloud to Hatteras.
It was a trying morning for all; but at last, about two
o'clock, a cry resounded from the mast-head :
" To the west, and put on steam 1 "
The brig instantly obeyed. She turned her prow in the
given direction, and rushed forward between two ice-
streams.
The entrance was found, and Hatteras gave up his post
to the ice-master, and came down on the poop.
" Well, captain," said the Doctor, " we have actually en-
tered this famous strait at last"
" Yes," replied Hatteras, lowering his voice, " but it is
not enough to enter, we have to get out again."
Without another word he turned, and walked off to his
cabin.
" He IS right," said the Doctor, " for we are In a mouse-
trap, without much room to do anything; and if we are
blocked in for the winter, well, we are not the first that have
got into this same fix, and they got out, so I suppose we
shall I"
The Doctor was right It was in that very place that
McQintock wintered in 1858, and the little dock was then
291
292 AT THE NORTH POLE
in sight where he found shelter, and which he called Port
Kennedy.
Bellot's Strait is about a mile wide and seventeen long,
with a current running from six to seven knots. It is en-
cased in mountains calculated at 1600 feet high. The For^
ward had to proceed cautiously, but still she made progress.
Storms are frequent in such a narrow space, and the brig
did not escape heavy seas and strong squalls of wind. In
spite of every precaution taken by the captain in reefing
and lowering masts and sails, it was a fatiguing strain on
the ship. It was impossible almost to stand on deck, and
most of the men studied their own comfort, and went off,
leaving Hatteras with Shandon and Johnson. The little
Doctor did not feel any more inclination than the sailors to
brave the snow and rain, but, acting on his old rule, always
to do that which is most disagreeable to him, he went up to
bear the others company ; and since he could not hear him-
self speak, and even barely see himself, he was obliged to
keep his reflections for his own benefit.
He found Hatteras trying to pierce through the curtain
of fog before him, for, according to his reckoning, they
ought to have come to the end of the strait by six o'clock;
but no outlet was visible, and the only thing that could be
done was to anchor the ship fast to an iceberg, and wait till
morning.
It was fearful weather; every instant it seemed as if the
Forward would snap her chains, and there was great danger
of the iceberg itself giving way beneath the violence of the
west wind, and drifting along, ship and alL The oflScers
were on the qui vive the whole night, and felt the gravest
apprehensions. There was not only a perfect waterspout of
snow, but showers of hail lashed up by the hurricane from
the ice-fields; the whole atmosphere was, as it were, bris-
tling with sharp arrows.
Strangely enough, there was a great rise in the teiyipera-
ture during this fearful night. The thermometer stood at
57*, and the Doctor, to his great surprise, thought he saw
several flashes of lightning in the south, followed by very
distant thunder.
About five in the morning, the weather changed again
with astonishing rapidity, and the thermometer fell to freez-
ing point- The wind veered north, and became calm. The
THE MAGNETIC POLE 293
western opening of the strait was now visible enough, but
it looked entirely blocked up. Hatteras almost doubted
whether it had ever been the opening.
However, the brig got under way again, and glided slowly
along between the ice-streams, crushing the edges of the
packs against her side timbers. The packs were still six
to eight feet thick, and the utmost care was necessary to
avoid coming into collision with any of them.
At noon, and for the first time, a magnificent solar phe-
nomenon was observed, a halo with two parhelia. The
Doctor took the exact dimensions: the outer corona was
only visible for about 30** on each side of the horizontal
diameter. The two images of the sun were remarkably
distinct The colors of both the arches were red nearest
the sun, and then yellow, green, and very pale blue, fading
into white outside.
Old sailors in the Arctic seas generally consider this phe-
nomenon the presage of a heavy snowfall. Should tiieir
opinion prove correct, it would place the Forward in a still
more awkward position. Hatteras felt that ever)rthing de-
pended on getting forward without delay. He spent the
remainder of the day and the whole of the night following
on deck, without allowing himself a moment's rest, seeking
for some practicable lead.
But next morning, when the Doctor joined him on the
poop, he beckoned him right away to the after part of the
ship, where they were quite out of ear-shot, and said :
" We are caught I It is impossible to get any farther."
Impossible ? " asked the Doctor.
Yes, impossible ! All the powder in the Forward would
not gain a quarter of a mile for us."
" What's to be done, then ? "
"Who knows? Confound this weather. It is an ill-
omened year."
" Well, captain, if we must winter here, we must — that's
all 1 As well here as anywhere else."
"True enough!" said Hatteras, in a low voice; "but
we must not winter, especially in the month of June. Win-
tering at all is full of moral and physical danger. A crew
soon becomes enervated by inactivity, combined with posi-
tive suffering, and I had made up my mind not to winter
till we were in a much more northerly latitude."
it
it
294 AT THE NORTH POLE
" But Fate decreed that BaflSn's Bay should be cbsed."
" Ay 1 and it could open for others — for that American 1 "
exclaimed Hatteras, angrily.
" Come, Hatteras," said the Doctor; " this is only the 5th
of June. Don't let us despair. A sudden opening may
occur. You know the tendency of the ice to separate,
even in calm weather. Perhaps in less than an hour there
may be a free outlet.'*
" I wish it may be so, we would soon get through it, and
once outside this strait we may be able to go north again by
Peel's Strait, or the McQintock ChanneL Then we **
" Captain," said James Wall, interrupting him suddenly,
" our rudder nms the risk of being torn away by the packs."
" Well, it must take its chance ; I cannot have it removed-
I wish to be ready at any hour, both day and night See
that it is protected as much as possible, Mr. Wall, by avoid-
ing coming into contact with the ice ; but let it remain in its
place, remember."
" But " said WaU.
" I wish for no remarks, sir ! " said Hatteras, sternly.
" Go."
Wall returned to his post, and Hatteras exclaimed pas-
sionately :
" Oh ! I would give five years of my life to find myself at
the north. I know no passage that is more dangerous than
this, and to increase the difficulty, now that we are getting
near the magnetic pole, the compass there is not acting
properly, the needle seems getting lazy or foolish, for it is
constantly shifting its direction."
*' I must confess it is perilous navigation now; but after
all, everyone who joined the expedition knew the dangers
he had to expect, so he needn't be surprised."
" Ah, Doctor, my crew are very much changed, and, as
you have just heard, the officers begin to set up their opin-
ion. The pecuniary advantages offered to the sailors made
them engage in the service ; but the worst of it is, when men
join like that, all they care for is to get home again, and be
paid as quickly as possible. Then, too, I am not seconded
by my officers as I ought to be, Doctor. If I fail in my
undertaking it will not be the fault of such and such a sailor,
but through the ill-will of certain officers. Ah, won't I
make them pay dearly for it 1 "
THE MAGNETIC POLE 295
" Hattcras, you are exaggerating."
"I am not exaggerating in the least. Do you believe
the sailors are sorry we cannot get north? On the con-
trary, they rejoice in my difficulties, thinking I shall be
forced to relinquish my project. That is the secret of our
hearing no grumbling just now. As long as the Forward
has her beak head to the south, they are all ready enough
to work. The fools! They fancy they are always nearer
England! But if I succeed in getting north, you will see
things change. However, I swear that not a single human
being will make me go out of my track. Let me only find
the smallest opening to get my brig through, and in she'll
go, even if she has to leave her copper bottom behind her."
The captain was destined to get his wishes partially real-
ized, for in the course of the evening, as the Doctor had
said, there was a sudden change The ice-fields cracked
and opened, and the Forward boldly dashed in between them,
crushing the loose ice with her metal prow. She went with*
out stopping all night, and next morning, about six o'clock,
got outside the strait
But what was the captain's secret vexation to find the way
to the north still obstinately shut against him. He had suf-
ficient self-commai^d to conceal his despair, and as if the
only route open had been the very one he preferred, he
sailed down Franklin's Strait; nof being able to get north
by Peel's Strait, he determined to go round the point and
up the McClintock Channel. But he felt that Shandon and
Wall were not deceived; they well understood his bitter
disappointment
For thirty-six hours the Forward followed the windings
of the Coast of Boothia, without getting near Prince of
Wales Island. Hatteras raised the steam, burning away the
coals in prodigal fashion, always hoping to replenish his
store at Isle Beechey. On Thursday he reached the extrem-
ity of Franklin's Strait, and again found the route to the
north barred against him.
His situation was hopeless now. He could not even go
back, for the heavy packs were pushing him continually
forward, and what had been open water but an hour before
when the brig passed through, was now solid ice.
It was a terrible predicament for the Forward, for she
could not get north, and yet dared not stop for fear of a
296 AT THE NORTH POLE
crush. All that she could do was to flee as if before a storm.
On Friday, the 8th June, he arrived at the mouth of
James Ross's Strait, one which he must avoid at any cost,
for it had no outlet except to the west, right on the American
coast. The longitude here was found to be 90* 46' 45",
and the latitude 70* 5' 17". On referring to the map the
Doctor discovered they had reached the magnetic pole, for
this was the very part where it had been discovered by James
Ross.
The shore near the coast was flat, rising in the back-
ground about a mile from the sea to a height of about
sixty feet.
Finding that the boiler needed to be cleaned, the captain
anchored his brig to the ice, and allowed the Doctor and
Johnson to go ashore. As for himself, he felt no interest
in anything that was not immediately connected with his
projects, and only cared to shut himself up in his cabin and
pore over his charts.
The Doctor and his companion were soon on land, carry-
ing a compass with them for their experiments. The Doc-
tor wished to test for himself the accuracy of James Ross's
observations. He easily discerned the heap of chalk stones
he had set up, and on hastenirtg towards it, perceived through
an opening the identical tin case in which he had deposited a
minute account of his discovery. Not a single himian being
seemed to have visited this dreary coast for thirty long
years !
If a magnetized needle is suspended here as delicately as
possible, it will immediately assume an almost vertical posi-
tion imder the magnetic influence. The center of attrac-
tion then, if not exactly below the needle, must be but a very
short distance off.
The Doctor made his experiments with the utmost care,
and was more successful than even James Ross, who could
never eet a higher declination for his vertical needle than
89** 59 , owing to the imperfection of his instruments, while
Dr. Clawbonny had the extreme satisfaction of seeing his
needle indicate a declination of exactly 90*.
This, then," he said, tapping the ground with his foot,
is the actual magnetic pole of our globe."
Is it just here? '* asked Johnson.
In this precise spot."
THE MAGNETIC POLE 297
" I suppose then it is all nonsense to talk about a magnetic
mountain, or a mass of lodestone ! "
" Yes, my good fellow, it is all * old wives' fables/ Ks
you see for yourself, there is not a sign of a mountain en-
dowed with the power of attracting ships, and tearing
away their iron, down to anchors and nails. Even your
boots do not feel any heavier, as if they were dragging
you down, do they? You can walk as easily here as any-
where else."
" But how can it be explained? "
" It can't be explained. We are not learned enough for
that yet But this one thing is an ascertained mathematical
fact — ^the magnetic pole is here, in this very place."
"Ah! Mr. Clawbonny, what would the captain give if
he could say as much of the North Pole ? "
" He will say it some day, Johnson, that he will."
"I fervently hope he may."
Just at this moment the signal was made for their return,
and after hastily erecting a cairn to mark tlie exact spot,
they hurried back to the brig.
CHAPTER XVI
T^E STORY OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN
The Forward succeeded in cutting right across the James
Ross's Strait, but it was only done by dint of saws and
petards, and at the cost of great fatigue to the crew. For-
tunately the temperature was bearable, 30'' higher than
James Ross had found it at the same time of the year. The
thermometer stood at 34".
On Saturday, Cape Felix was doubled, at the extreme
point of King William's Island. The sight of this island
made a deep impression on the minds of fiie men, and they
gazed with mournful interest at the coast as they sailed
along. This was the theater of one of the most terrible
tragedies the world has ever seen, for, only a few miles to
the west, the Erebus and Terror were lost.
Johnson and the Doctor were going over the particulars
of the sad catastrophe as the vessel fled swiftly on, and bays
and promontories passed before the eye like some vast
panorama. Several of the sailors, overhearing the subject
298 AT THE NORTH POLE
of conversation, drew nearer to listen, and before long the
Doctor had the whole crew round him. Seeing their eager
curiosity, and knowing what an impression the recital would
make in such circtmistances, the Doctor recommenced his
narrative
" You know, I suppose, my good fellows," he said, " the
early history of FraiJdin. He was a cabin-boy, like Cook
and Nelson, and, after serving during his youth in several
great expeditions, he determined, in 1845, to prosecute a
search for the North- West Passage. He was in command
of the Erebus and Terror, two ships that had been previously
employed in an Arctic expedition undertaken by James Ross.
The Erebus carried seventy sailors, including the officers,
with Fitz-James as captain; Gore and Vesconte as lieuten-
ants; Des Voeux, Sargent, and Couch as quartermasters;
and Stanley as surgeon* The Terror numbered sixty-eight
men. Her captain was Crozier; the lieutenants, Little,
Hodgson, and Irving; quartermasters, Horesby and
Thomas; and surgeon, Peddie. Not one of these ill-fated
individuals ever returned to. their native land, but you may
read nearly all their names on the different bays, and capes,
and straits, and points, and channels, and islands that are
met with in this region. There were 138 men altogether.
The last letters received from Franklin were dated Jidy
1 2th, 1845, and written from Isle Disko. *I hope,' he
wrote, *to weight anchor to-night for Lancaster Sound.'
What has happened since his departure from Disko? The
last time the ships were seen was in Melville Bay, by the
captains of the Prince of Wales and the Enterprise, two
whalers; and since then there has been no word of them.
We are able to follow Franklin, however, in some of his
subsequent movements. He went to the west, and up Bar-
row's Strait and Lancaster Sound, as far as Isle Beechey,
where he spent the winter of 1845."
"But how was that ascertained?" asked Bell, the ,car-
penter.
" By three graves discovered by the Austin expedition in
1850, in which three of Franklirfs sailors were interred;
and also by a document found by Lieutenant Hobson, of the
Fox, which is dated 1848. From this we learn that, at the
close of the winter, the Erebus and Terror went up Welling-
ton Channel as far as the 77tb parallel; but, instead of con-
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN 299
tinuing their route to the north, which was doubtless found
to be impracticable, they returned south."
" And it was their ruin/* said a grave voice. " Salvation
was in the north.
Everyone turned to see who was the speaker. It was
Hatteras, leaning against the railing of the poop, who made
his home-thrust at Sic crew.
" There is no doubt," continued the Doctor, " that Frank-
lin's intention was to reach the American coast ; but he was
overtaken by furious tempests, and both ships got caught in
the ice a few miles from fiiis, and were dragged N. N. E. of
Point Victory. But the ships were not abandoned till the
22nd April, 1848. What happened during those nineteen
months, who knows? What did the poor fellows do with
themselves all that time ? No doubt they explored the coun-
try, and tried their utmost to reach a place of safety, for
Franklin was a man of great energy, and if his measures
were unsuccessful *'
"It was, perhaps, his crew who proved false to him?"
again interrupted Hatteras, in a hollow voice.
No one dared to look up, for the cap fitted. The Doctor
resumed his narrative, and said :
"The document I have mentioned gives the additional
information of the death of Sir John Franklin. He sank
tmder his fatigues on tlie i ith of June, 1847. Honor to his
memory," he added, baring his head respectfully.
All the men silently followed his example. After a p'ause.
Doctor Clawbonny went on to say :
"What became of the men after their admiiirs death?
Ten months elapsed before they forsook the ship, and the
survivors then numbered one hundred and five men. Thir-
ty-three were dead ! A cairn was erected on Point Victory
by order of the captains, Crozier and Fitz-James, and in it
this their last document was deposited. See, we are just
passing the very place. You can still see the remains of this
cairn on the very extremity of the point. And there is Cape
Jane Franklin, and there is Point Franklin, and there is
Point le Vesconte, and there is Erebus Bay, where they
found the sloop made out of pieces of one of the ships and
laid on a sledge. They also discovered silver spoons there,
and tea and chocolate, besides religious books and provisions
in abtmdance. For the hundred and five survivors, tmder
300 AT THE NORTH POLE
the guidance of Captain Crozier, set out for the great Fish
River. How far did they get? Did they reach Hudson's
Bay? Do any of them still survive? Who can say what
has become of them all now? "
" I can say what has become of them," replied John Hat-
teras, in loud, ringing tones. " Yes, they did reach Hud-
son's Bay, and divided into several parties. Yes, they took
the route south, and in 1850 a letter of Dr. Rae mentioned
the fact that on this very island before us, the Esquimaux
fell in with a detachment of forty men hunting seals over
the ice, dragging a boat with them, and looking pale and hag-
gard, worn out with suffering and fatigue. And subse-
quently thirty corpses were found on the mainland, and five
on an adjacent isle, some half buried, and some lying quite
exposed ; others under a boat turned upside down, and others
still under the remains of a tent; here an officer, with his
telescope on his shoulder and his loaded gun beside him, and
not far off cauldrons with the fragments of a ghastly sick-
ening meal.
"On the receipt of this intelligence, the Admiralty re-
quested the Hudson's Bay Company to dispatch experienced
men to search the entire region. They explored the whole
of the Black River to its mouth. They visited the islands
of Montreal, Maconochie, and Point Ogle. But it was all
in vain ! Everyone of the hapless company was dead ! Dead
from starvation, and pain and misery, after making a hor-
rible attempt to prolong their wretched lives by cannibalism !
This is what has become of them. The route south is
strewed with their mangled remains! Do you still desire
to walk in their footsteps ? '*
The thrilling voice and impassioned gestures and earnest
face of Hatteras produced an indescribable effect on the
men, and, carried away by their emotion, they 3houted with
one accord :
" To the North I To thp North ! ''
"To the North, then, we'll go, my men! Safety and
glory lie there! Heaven is on our side; the wind has
shifted! The channel is open, turn about the ship! "
The sailors rushed to their posts, the Forward was soon
making at full speed for the McClintock Channel.
Hatteras was right, the ice had given way, and the ship
found her passage almost imobstructed. On the 14th of
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN 301
June she had gone beyond Osbom Bay, ^ and farther than
any of the expeditions of i85i« The ice-packs were still
numerous, but she never lacked water below her keel.
CHAPTER XVII
THE ROUTE TO THE NORTH
The crew had apparently returned to their good habits
of discipline and obedience. Their work was not fatiguing
now, and they had abundance of leisure. The temperature
still remained above freezing point.
Duk, who had grown quite friendly and sociable, struck
up the closest friendship with Dr. Clawbonny. They were
on the best possible terms, though it must be confessed Duk
was quite master, and made the little Doctor do whatever
he pleased. Towards the crew, too, and officers generally,
Duk was amiable enough, except towards Shandon, and
from him he always ran away as fast as he could, doubtless
impelled by some secret instinct. He also kept a sharp tooth
For Penn and Warren; and what a tooth it was! He
growled whenever they came near, though they never
again attempted to lay a finger on him. No one dared
to touch the captain's dog, his " familiar spirit," as Clif-
ton called him.
On the whole, however, the confidence of the men seemed
restored, and they were behaving well.
" It looks as if the crew, had laid the captain's words to
heart," remarked Wall to Shandon one day. " They don't
appear now to have any misgivings about success."
" They are wrong," said Shandon; " if they were only lo
reflect and examine their situation, they would see we are
going from one imprudent step to another."
"And yet," returned Wall, "the sea is certainly more
open, and we are going on no untried route. Are you not
exaggerating, Shandon ? "
"No, Wall, I am not; the hatred or jealousy, if you
choose to call it so, which I feel towards Hatteras, has not
blinded my eyes. Tell me, have you been down to see how
the coals stand ? "
" No," replied Wall.
" Well, just you go, and you will see how fast our stock
' 302 AT THE NORTH POLE
is diminishing. The rule with us should have been to rely
on our sails mainly, reserving the screw for special occasicHis
when the wind was contrary, or there were strong oppos-
ing currents ; our combustibles ought to be husbanded with
the most rigid economy, for who knows where we may be
driven, or how long we may be frozen up in these seas?
But Hatteras, in his frenzied ambition to push north and
reach the inaccessible Pole, never troubles himself about
such small matters. Whether the wind is for or against us,
he must have all the steam up, and if he goes on much longer
in the same fashion, we stand a chance of finding ourselves
in a pretty fix some day, and even of our total loss."
"If what you say is true, Shandon, the case is serious,"
replied Wall.
"Yes, Wall, very serious; not merely for the engine,
which would be utterly useless without coal, just perhaps
when we most needed it; but for ourselves, too, when we
think of having to winter here, which we certainly must
do, soon or late One needs to think of cold a little in a
country where the quicksilver even freezes in the ther-
mometer."
" But, if I am not mistaken, Shandon, the captain is reck-
oning on replenishing his stock at Isle Beechey. He can
get an abundance of fuel there."
" Can people go just where they choose. Wall, in these
seas? Can we ever reckon on finding the straits open?
And supposing he should miss the isle, or be unable to get
to it, what will become of us? "
" You are right, Shandon. It is certainly imprudent of
Captain Hatteras, but why don't you talk to him on the
subject."
" No, Wall," said Shandon, with ill-concealed bitterness,
" I have made up my mind to be silent. I have no responsi-
bility now ; I shall watch the course of events and do what-
ever I am told without expressing an opinion."
" Let me tell you, Shandon, you are wrong. This is a
question of our common interest, and imprudence on the
captain's part may cost us all dear."
" And would he listen. Wall, if I were to speak? "
Wall could not reply in the affirmative. He evaded the
question by asking whether the representations of the crew
would have more effect
THE ROUTE TO THE POLE 303
"The crew!" repeated Shandon, shrugging his shoul-
ders. **Why, Wall, you surely cannot have noticed the
men. They are not caring the least about their safety just
now. All Uiey know is, that they are getting near the 72nd
parallel, and that each degree beyond that will bring them
a thousand pounds I "
" You are right, Shandon,*' replied Wall. " The captain
knows the best way to keep his men."
"For the present, at any rate, it is the best," replied
Shandon.
" What do you mean ? "
" I mean that while there is no danger and no hard work,
things will go on very well. Hatteras has caught them with
a golden bait, but what's only done for money is never much
worth. Wait till we get into difficult and trying circum-
stances ; wait till sickness, and cold, and misery, and despon-
dency come upon us, and all the calamities towards which
we are madly rushing, and you'll see how few of them will
think much of the prize to be won."
" Then you don't think Shandon, that Hatteras will suc-
ceed in his attempt ? "
" No, Wall, he will not succeed. An enterprise like this
requires perfect harmony of thought and feeling among the
leaders, and this is wanting among us. More than that,
Hatteras is a madman. All his past history proves it Well,
we shall see. A time may come when he will be compelled
to give up the command of the ship to a less venturesome
man."
«
I don't know about that," said Wall, with a doubtful
shake of the head. "He will always have some to stand
by him ; he will have ^"
" He will have Dr. Clawbonny," said Shandon, interrupt-
ing him, " a learned man who cares for nothing but learn-
ing ; Johnson, a sailor, who is a slave to discipline, and who
never takes the trouble to examine a question ; and perhaps
one or two others, such as Bell, the carpenter, not more than
four at the outside — four out of eighteen of us. No, Wall;
Hatteras has not the confidence of the crew, and he knows
that well enough. He bribes them with money. He man-
aged to work on their excitable natures very cleverly with
the Franklin story; but that won't last, I tell you, and if he
don't succeed in reaching Isle Beechey he is ruined"
304 AT THE NORTH POLE
If the crew only suspected that-
I beg you say nothing to them whatever on the subject
They will soon make their own remarks. Moreover, we
could not do better meantime than continue our present
course. Perhaps, after all, what Hatteras thinks going
north may prove going back. McClintock Channel opens
into Melville Bay, but that succession of straits that leads to
Baffin's Bay, begins there too; Hatteras had better take
care ! The road to the east is easier than that to the north."
Shandon's words revealed his secret sentiments. No
wonder Hatteras felt he was a traitor.
As far as the crew went, however, his opinion of them was
quite right. Their contentment was entirely owing to the
prospect of soon reaching the 72nd parallel. The love of
money had taken complete possession of them, and Clifton
had calculated accurately the sum that would fall to each.
There were sixteen men altogether on board, not counting
the captain and the Doctor, who, of course, were not to share
in the prize. The amount promised was f 1,000; that gave
£62 IDS to each individual. Should they ever reach the
Pole, the eighteen degrees more would enrich them still fur-
ther with a sum of £1,125— quite a fortune. This would
cost the captain £18,000, but he was rich enough to be able
to pay it.
On the 1 6th of Jime the Forward coasted past Cape
Aworth. The white peaks of Mount Rawlinson seemed to
pierce the very heavens, the snow and fog making its height
appear colossal. The temperature was still some degrees
above freezing point Cascades and cataracts were rushing
down the sides of the mountains, and the loud noise of fall-
ing avalanches struck upon the ear like the continuous dis-
charge of heavy artillery, reverberating over the glaciers for
an immense distance. It was a splendid spectacle, and the
ship hugged the coast so closely that objects were distinctly
visible. Rare heaths were discovered growing on sheltered
rocks, with their pink flowers timidly peeping above the
snow. A few miserable looking lichens of a reddish color
were also seen, and a dwarf willow, which crept along the
ground.
At last on the 19th of June, the 72nd parallel was crossed,
and the brig entered Melville Bay — ^the " Silver Bay/' as
Bolton christened it On the 25th, in spite of a strong
V. n Venre
THE ROtPTE TO THE POLE 305
breeze from the N. E., she passed the 74th degree, and found
herself in Melville Sound, one of the largest in those regions.
It was Captain Parry who first traversed it in his great ex-
pedition of 1819, and it was for this his crew gained the
prize of £5,000 oflFered by Government
CHAPTER XVIII
A WHALE CHASE
Melville Sound, though perfectly navigable, was not
free from ice. Extensive ice-fields stretched beyond as far
as the eye could reach, with solitary icebergs appearing here
and there, standing motionless, as if anchored firmly to the
glaciers.
But the Forward found good leads ever3rwhere, and
steamed rapidly along, in spite of the variable wind, which
kept shifting from one point of the compass to another.
The sudden changes of the wind are most remarkable in
these Arctic Seas. Often, but a few minutes will separate
a dead calm from a strong tempest, as Hatteras found to
his cost on the 23rd of June, just as he reached the middle
of the immense bay.
The most constant winds are those which blow from the
polar ice-belt towards the open water, and these are ex-
tremely cold. On this day the thermometer sank several
degrees, and the wind suddenly veered south. Thick snow
began to fall, and such violent gusts of wind arose, that
Hatteras ordered all the sails to be close-reefed ; but, before
his commands could be executed, one of the smaller yards
was already torn away.
Hatteras never left the deck while the gale lasted, though
the fury of the blast compelled him to change his position.
There he stood, issuing his orders with the most imper-
turbable calmness, though the sea was lashed mountains high
by the raging tempest, and his brig was tossed up and down
on the waves like a child's toy — now borne aloft perpen-
dicularly on the crest of some gigantic billow, her steel prow
gleaming for an instant in the light ; and then precipitated
into an abyss amidst clouds of smoke, her stem and screw
rising completely out of the water; rain and snow all the
time falling in torrents.
3o6 AT THE NORTH POLE
The Doctor, of course, could not lose the opportunity of
getting drenched to the skin. He stayed on deck with the
rest, in silent admiration of the grandeur of the spectacle ;
and he found his endurance well repaid by the sight of a
peculiar phenomenon, which is only observable in polar lat-
itudes.
The storm raged within certain limits, not extending far-
ther than three or four miles. This arises from the fact
that, in passing over the ice-fields, the wind is robbed of
much of its power, and its fury is soon exhausted. Every
now and then, in a fall of the swell the Doctor caught
glimpses of a dear sky and a calm sea beyond the ice. The
brig had only to go right forward to get into smooth sail-
ing; but she ran the risk of being dashed to pieces in the
transit. However, after some hours, Hatteras succeeded
in getting beyond the storm, though only by a few cable-
lengths, leaving it still raging in the distance.
The appearance of the bay was totally altered. A great
ntmiber of bergs had become detached from the coast ice
by the double influence of wind and waves ; and these were
scudding along towards the north, crossing and clashing
against each other in every direction. They could be
counted by hundreds, but the Sound was so wide that the
Forward found little difficulty in steering clear of them. It
was a magnificent sight; for the moving masses, being en-
dowed with tmequal degrees of velocity, seemed like so many
runners on a vast race-course.
The Doctor was surveying the scene with enthusiastic ad-
miration, when Simpson, the harpooner, came up, and drew
his attention to the changing tints of the sea, from bright
blue to olive green.
Long bands stretched from north to south, with the
edges so sharply marked, that the line of demarcation
could be traced as far as the eye could reach. Some-
times, again, they came to sheets of clear, transparent
water, close to others which were perfectly opaque.
" Well, Mr. Clawbonny," said Simpson, " what do you
say to this ? Isn't it very peculiar ? "
" I adopt the theory of Scoresby, the whaler," replied the
Doctor. " He thought that the blue waters had been de-
prived of the myriads of animalculae and medusae — a class
of zoophytes with which the green waters are loaded. He
A WHALE CHASE 307
had made many experiments on the subject, and I quite be-
lieve he is right"
" Ay, sir ; but there is more than that to be learnt from
the color of the water."
"Is there, really?"
" Yes, Mr. Clawbonny, you may take a harpooner*s word
for it; if the Forward were only a whaler, we should have
good sport"
" And yet," said the Doctor, " I don't see the smallest
whale anywhere."
" All right ! Take my word for it, I say, we'll see some
before long. It is a lucky chance for a whaler to come
across those green stripes in this latitude."
** And why so ? " asked the Doctor, always eager to gain
information from those who had a practical knowledge of
the subject in hand.
" Because it is in those green waters that most of the
whales are caught," replied Simpson.
"How is that?"
" Because the whales find most there to eat."
" Is that a positive fact? "
" Oh, I have tested it a hundred times in Baffin's Bay, and
I don't see why it should not hold equally good in Melville
Sound."
" I daresay you are right, Simpson."
" Stop a bit ! " said the harpooner, leaning over the side
of the vesseL " Do you see that, Mn Clawbonny? "
" It looks like the wake of a ship."
" Well, that is the fatty substance the whale leaves behind
in its track. Trust me, the animal that left it can't be
far off."
There was certainly a peculiar smell in the atmosphere,
and the Doctor watched carefully to see if Simpson's pre-
dictions would be verified.
He had not to watch long, for the man at the masthead
called out :
" A whale ! To leeward of us ! "
All eyes turned in the given direction ; and, sure enough,
about a mile from the ship, jets of water thrown up to a
considerable height were plainly visible.
" There she is ! " exclaimed Simpson. " That's her and
no mistake, blowing away ! "
3o8 AT THE NORTH POLE
€(
ii
She has disappeared ! " said the Doctor.
She could soon be found, if we wanted/' replied Simp-
son, in a tone of regret
But, to his amazement — for no one would have dared to
propose such a thing — ^Hatteras gave orders to equip the
whaling-boat He was not sorry to be able to afford his
men a little diversion, and perhaps secure a few barrels of
oil. His permission to capture the whale gave great satis-
faction to all on board ; and, forthwith, four sailors jumped
into the boat Johnson was to steer, and Simpson took his
place in the front, harpoon in hand. The Doctor could
not be kept from joining the party. The sea was pretty
calm, and in ten minutes the boat was at the spot
The whale had just plunged below again, but soon reap-
peared, discharging a volume of mucous matter and vapor
combined, from the blow-holes in the head.
" There ! there ! " cried Simpson, pointing to a spot about
eight hundred yards from the boat
The enormous monster rose and sank in the waves in-
cessantly, her huge black back looking like a rock in mid-
ocean. Whales are slow swimmers, and this one seemed
in no hurry, certainly.
The boat cautiously approached unperceived by the enemy,
owing to the opaqueness of the green water. To see a frail
bark attack these leviathans is always a thrilling spectacle,
and this whale must have measured nearly lOo feet Larger
ones are frequently met with between the 72nd and 80th
degrees, and ancient writers speak of some specimens more
than 700 feet long; but such descriptions are evidently en-
tirely fabulous.
As soon as the boat got close to the whale, Simpson
stopped the rowers, and, brandishing his harpoon, hurled it
so dexterously at the foe that the sharp barbs buried them-
selves deep in the thick layer of fat on her back. The
wounded monster dived below, and immediately the four
oars were set up on end, and the line let out which was at-
tached to the harpoon. It was lying in a coil at the front
of the boat, and the rapidity with which it unwound itself
was prodigious.
For more than half an hour the boat was dragged along
after the whale in the direction of the moving icebergs, and
always farther away from the brig. The motion was so
A WHALE CHASE 309
rapid that it was necessary to wet the rope to prevent its
taking fire from the excessive friction. When the whale at
last slackened speed, the line was carefully drawn up by de-
grees, and coiled up again. Presently the animal rose to
Sie surface once more, lashing the sea with her ponderous
tail, and making a perfect waterspout, which fell on the boat
like a violent shower of rain.
The men began to row vigorously forward, and Simpson
seized a lance, and stood ready for combat But, next mo-
ment, their coveted prey darted in between two gigantic
ice-mountains, where it would have been dangerous to
follow.
" Confound it 1 '* exclaimed Johnson.
" Go on ! Go on I " shouted Simpson, wild with excite-
ment " We are sure of her now."
" But we cannot go after her between those icebergs ! "
said Johnson.
" Yes, yes, we can," cried Simpson.
While they were still discussing whether to venture or
not, the question was settled for them, for the passage began
rapidly to close; and Johnson had only barely time to cut
the rope with a hatchet when the rocky walls met, crushing
the unfortunate animal between them with irresistible force.
" Lost ! " exclaimed Simpson.
" Saved ! " was Johnson's reply ; while the Doctor, who
had never shown the white feather throughout, coolly said,
" My word ! but that was a sight worth seeing."
The crushing power of these mountains is prodigious.
The whale had met with no unusual death; for Scoresby
mentions the fact that, in one summer, thirty whales perished
in Baffin's Bay in a similar manner. He also saw a ship
with three masts smashed flat, and two other ships were
pierced through, as if by a lance, by fallen icebergs more
than a hundred feet long, with sharp spiked ends, which met
together across the decks.
A! few minutes later, the boat regained the brig, and was
drawn up to its accustomed place on deck.
" It is a lesson," said Shandon, aloud, ** for rasH people
who will venture into narrow channels."
CHAPTER XIX
ISLE BEECHEY
On the 25th of June the Forward sighted Cape Dundas,
the north-easterly point of Prince of Wales' Island. The
difficulty of navigation increased as the packs became more
numerous. The distance that, in ordinary circumstances,
the brig would have made in a day, took her from the 25th
to the 30th of June.
Hatteras knew as well as Shandon how the coals stood:
but relying on finding stores at Isle Beechey, he would not
lose a moment for the sake of economy. The distance south,
short as it was, had greatly delayed him ; and though he had
taken the precaution to start in April, he was not a whit
farther on now than preceding expeditions had been at a
similar period.
On the 30th of June, Cape Walker came in sight, and soon
afterwards Cape Bellot, so named from the brave young
French officer who perished in the English expedition.
Three cheers were given to his memory as the brig passed,
pushing her way through the loose floes across Barrow's
Straits.
Hatteras was so afraid of missing the island that he
hardly quitted his post on the deck for an instant All that
skill and sang frotd, and even nautical genius, could do, he
did. Fortune certainly showed him no favor, for at this
time of the year he ought to have found the straits nearly
free from ice; but at length, by neither sparing his steam,
nor his men,. nor himself, he gained his end.
On the 3rd of July the ice-master signaled land ahead to
the north, and after consulting the chart Hatteras came to
the conclusion that this must be Isle Beechey, Johnson's
heart beat quicker as they approached, for this was not his
first visit, and memory was busy with the past. He had
been quartermaster on board the Phoenix, the expedition
in which Lieutenant Bellot had been engaged, and Hatteras
looked to him for information as to the facilities for an-
chorage. The weather was magnificent, and the thermo-
meter continued steadily at 57**.
"Well, Johnson, do you recognize the place?" said the
captain, as they were getting rapidly near.
" Yes, sir, it is certainly the island ; but we must bear a
little more to the north, the coast is more accessible there."
310
ISLE BEECHEY 311
** But what about the huts and the stores ? " asked the
captain.
" Oh, you cannot see those till you get on shore. They
are behind those hillocks you see there."'
"'And you say you landed considerable stores there?"
"Ay I that we did, captain. It was here that the Ad-
miralty sent me in 1853, under the command of Inglefield,
with the Phoenix steamer and a transport loaded with pro-
visions. We carried enough with us to revictual an entire
expedition."
" But the commander of the Fox drew on them largely in
1855, did he not? " said Hatteras.
" Rest easy, captain, you'll see there is enough and to spare
yet, and the cold has such a wonderful power of preserving
food, that we shall find everjrthing as good as the first day
It was packed."
" I don't care about the provisions. I have plenty for
several years. It is the fuel I am anxious about."
" Well, captain, we left more than one thousand tons of
coals there, so you need not fear about that."
" We might land now, I think," said Hatteras, who had
been closely watching the shore, glass in hand.
"You see yon point, sir," said Johnson. "When we
have doubled that we are quite near our anchorage. Yes !
it was from that very point we started on our way back to
England with Lieutenant Cresswell and the twelve sick
sailors belonging to the Investigator. Ah! well, we had
back Lieutenant McQure safe. Poor young Bellot never
saw his native land again. His is a sad story ; but, captain,
I think we may cast anchor now."
"Very well," said Hatteras, giving the order imme-
diately.
The brig had just reached a little bay, sheltered by na-
ture from the north, south, and east winds, and within a
cable's length of the shore.
"Mr. Wall," said Hatteras, "get the boat ready, and
six men to go with her to carry coals on board."
" Yes, sir," said Wall.
" I am going ashore in the pirogue with the Doctor and
boatswain. Mr. Shandon, you will please to accom-
pany us."
" At your service," replied Shandon.
312 AT THE NORTH POLE
A few minutes latec all four landed on a low, rocky
beach.
"You must be our guide, Johnson," said the captain.
" Do you know the place again ? "
" Perfectly, sir," was the reply; " but I see a monument
there that is new to me."
" That ! " exclaimed the Doctor ; " I can give you the his-
tory of that But let us go up to it, for I expect it will
best explain itself."
They soon reached it, and the Doctor, taking off his cap
reverently, said:
" This is a montmient erected to Franklin and his com-
panions."
And so it was. Lady Franklin sent a tablet of marble
to Dr. Kane in 1855, and entrusted another to McQintock
in 1858, to be set up in Isle Beechey. McQintock executed
his commission religiously, and placed this tablet beside
the funeral stone raised to the memory of Bellot by Sir
John Barrow. It bore the following inscription: —
TO THE MEMORY OF
FRANKLIN, CROZIER, FITZ-JAMES
AND ALL THEIR BRAVE COMRADES,
Officers, and faithful companions, who suffered and per--
ished for the cause of Science and
the glory of their Country.
This Stone is erected near the place where they spent
their last Arctic winter, and from whence they set out to
triumph over difficulties or die. It betokens the hallowed
memory in which they are held by admiring fellow-country-
men and friends, and the anguish, subdued by faith, of her
who has lost in the leader of the expedition the most de-
voted and affectionate of husbands.
It is thus that He led them to the heaven above where
all rest in peace.
1855.
This stone on a lonely shore of these distant regions,
spoke sorrowfully to the heart. All that remained of
Franklin and his brave band, so full of life and hope, was
this marble block. And yet in spite of such gloomy warn-
ing, the Forward was about to rush on in the very path of
the Erebus and Terror.
i€
U
ISLE BEECHEY 313
Hatteras was the first to rouse himself from such
dangerous contemplations. He climbed hastily up a little
hill, from the top of which Johnson said the storehouses
could be seen.
Shandon and the Doctor rejoined them immediately;
but none of the party could discover anything but a far-
stretching expanse, without a trace of human habitation.
;Well, that's strange!" said Johnson.
What now ? Where are the depots ? " asked Hatteras,
sharply,
" I don't know — I can't see," stammered Johnson.
"You have mistaken the road perhaps," suggested the
Doctor, thoughtfully.
" Yet it seems to me," said Johnson, " that it was just
here "
" Well, be quick, pray, and tell us where to go," said the
impatient captain.
"Let us go down again; for I may be wrong. It is
seven years ago now since I was here, and my memory may
be at fault."
"Especially in a cotmtry where such monotonous uni-
formity prevails."
" And yet " muttered Johnson.
Shandon made no remark.
After waiting a few minutes longer, Johnson stopped all
of a sudden, and said :
" No, I am right, after all ! "
"Well," replied Hatteras, looking about, "and where
are they ? "
" Do you see how the ground seems to swell out there,"
said Johnson, "just where we are standing, and can you
trace the shape of these big mounds in it ? "
"Well, and what's that to do with the question?" in-
quired the Doctor.
"These are the graves of three of Franklin's sailors,"
was the reply. " I'm sure of it ; and a hundred paces off
was the principal depot. I am not mistaken now, and if
the stores are not there, it must be owing to "
He did not venture to say what he thought ; but a terri-
ble suspicion shot through Hatteras, and made him rush
impetuously forward. But where were the stores on which
\ie had so confidently reckoned ? This was the right place ;
314 AT THE NORTH POLE
but destruction, and pillage, and ruin had been at work, and
not a vestige remained of the vaSt supplies laid up for the
relief of hard bestead navigators. And who had committed
these depredations? Was it the wolves and bears? No,
for they would only have destroyed the provisions; but not
so much as the tattered remnant of a tent was left, not a
morsel of wood, nor a piece of iron; and, worse still, for
the Forward at any rate, not an atom of coal ! It was evi-
dent that frequent intercourse with Eiu-opean ships had
taught the Esquimaux the value of these things, for they
must have been coming back and forward ever since the
Fox had touched at the island, constantly pillaging, till all
trace of a storehouse had disappeared in the snow.
Hatteras was dumfounded. The Doctor shook his head
and gazed silently. Shandon said nothing ; but a close ob-
server might have seen a malicious smile on his lips.
Just at this moment the men came with the boat to fetch
the coal. They understood all at a glance. Shandon went
up to the captain and said :
" Mr. Hatteras, I don't see the use of giving way to de-
spair. Fortunately, we are at the entrance of Barrow's
Strait, which will take us straight to Baffin's Bay."
" Mr. Shandon," replied Hatteras, " fortunately we are
at the entrance to Wellington Channel, which will take us
straight to the north ! "
" And how are we to work the ship, sir ?
" By her sails. We have still fuel for two months, and
that is more than enough for our winter's sojourn."
" You will allow me to say " began Shandon.
"I will allow you to follow me on board, sir!" inter-
rupted Hatteras ; and, turning on his heel, he walked off to
the boat, and shut himself in his cabin as soon as they
reached the brig.
CHAPTER XX
HEAVY WORK
On the 3rd and 4th of July the thermometer stood at 57*,
and it never rose higher than this during the whole time
of the expedition. But on Thursday, the 5th, the wind
shifted to S. E., and became very violent, accompanied by
»
. HEAVY WORK 315
whirling eddies of snow. The temperature fell the night
before 23*. Hatteras, without caring about the ill-humor
of the crew, gave orders to weigh anchor. For thirteen
days, that is to say, since leaving Cape Dundas, the Forward
had not made one degree farther north. This did not sat-
isfy the money-loving Clifton party at all ; and, for the time
being at least, they were quite as willing as the captain to
try and push their way through Wellington Channel.
This channel was first fully explored in 1851, by Cap-
tain Penny, on the whalers Lady Franklin and Sophia; and
it was one of his officers. Lieutenant Stewart, who succeeded
in getting as far as Cape Beecher, in latitude 76* 20", and
made the discovery of an open sea. An open sea! This
was the hope which inspired Hatteras.
"What Stewart found, I shall find too," he said to the
Doctor; "and then we can sail easy enough to the Pole."
" But have you no misgivings about the crew ? " asked
the Doctor,
" My crew ! " repeated Hatteras, bitterly ; but he added
presently, in a low voice, as if speaking to himself, " Poor
fellows ! " The Doctor was amazed, for it was the first
time he had betrayed the least kindly feeling. But he had
hardly time to recover his surprise before tlie old hardness
came back, and Hatteras exclaimed vehemently : " No t they
must and shall go with me ! "
The Forward found no great difficulty in getting through
the ice, for the ice-streams were pretty far apart; but still
she made little progress, owing to contrary winds. It was
not till the loth that she passed at length the 75 th parallel,
to the great joy of Clifton.
They had now reached the very point where the "Advance
and the Rescue, two American vessels in Dr. Kane's expe-
dition, had met with such terrible disasters. Shandon took
care to rehearse the whole story of suflFering and danger to
the crew, with what dispiriting eflfect may be imagined.
The ice-packs were now very numerous, and navigation
became exceedingly difficult. Hatteras endeavored vainly
to get past Isle Hamilton, but the wind was contrary.
Then he tried to glide the brig in t)etween Isle Hamilton
and Isle Cornwallis, and again he failed, after wasting five
precious days in the attempt. The temperature was con-
stantly getting lower, and on the 19th of July fell to 26*.
3i6 AT THE NORTH POLE
It rose somewhat the next day ; but this premonition of an
Arctic winter's approach was not lost on Hatteras. The
wind was inclined to keep steadily in the west, dead against
the ship, while he was all impatience to readi the latitude
where Stewart had discovered the open sea. On the 19th
he determined to go up the channel, come what might By
working the screw, the brig could fight her way against the
rough gales of wind and driving snow ; but, above all things,
the scanty store of fuel must be husbanded. On the other
hand, the channel was too wide to permit of "tracking,"
as it is called in Arctic language — ^that is, towing with ropes
along a margin of ice. Hatteras, therefore, had recourse
to a method sometimes adopted by whalers in similar cir-
cimistances. Without giving a moment's consideration to
the fatigue of his crew, he ordered the boats to be lowered
to the level of the water, so as just to touch the surface,
though without detaching them from the sides of the ship,
to which they were then firmly fastened fore and aft. In
these boats the men had to seat themselves in turn, with
oars in hand, and row vigorously to drag the vessel for-
ward against the wind.
It was slow work, and one can imagine the labor it was
for the crew. But at length, after four days' sailing in
this fashion, the Forward emerged into Queen's Channel,
and reached Baring's Island.
The wind was still adverse; but the crew could do no
more. Their health was too much shaken, and the Doctor
feared he could detect in several the first indications of
scurvy. He lost no time in combating the terrible malady,
for he had lime juice and lime pastilles, in abundance.
Hatteras knew well enough he could no longer count on
his men. Mildness and persuasions were of no avail now :
he resolved to conquer by severity, and even to show him-
self pitiless oh occasion. Richard Shandon he especially
mistrusted, and he had his doubts about James Wall too.
Dr. Clawbonny, Johnson, Bell, and Simpson, he knew were
devoted to him, body and soul. Pen, Gripper, Qifton, and
Warren, he was quite aware were only waiting their time
to break out in open mutiny, and drag the brig back to
England; and the others were ready to take either side at
any moment.
Meanwhile, what was to be done? The crew wei*e not
HEAVY WORK 317
only badly disposed, but so exliausted that they could not
possibly continue such fatiguing efforts, and for twenty- four
hours they had remained absolutely stationary in sight of
Isle Baring. And yet the temperature was always getting
lower, for it was far on now in July. On the 24th the
thermometer fell to 22*. Young ice formed during the
night of considerable thickness, and should snow come
down, it would soon be firm enough to bear a man's weight.
There was a gray, dirty look about the sea already which
betokened the commencement of the process of crystalli-
zation.
There was no mistaking these alarming symptoms.
Should the leads close, Hatteras would be obliged to win-
ter here without having gained his object, or even caught a
glimpse of the open basin which was so close at hand, if
the reports of his predecessors had been correct. He de-
termined to push forward at all risks, and as he could not
use the oars in the present womout state of his men, nor
the sails, for the wind was contrary, he gave orders to kin-
dle the furnaces.
CHAPTER XXI
BEGINNINGS OF MUTINY
This unexpected command occasioned great surprise on
board the Forward, and loud exclamations were heard on
all sides. Shandon looked fixedly at Wall, and the engi-
neers stood perfectly stupefied.
" Did you hear me ? " shouted the captain in an angry
tone.
Brunton moved towards the hatchway, but stopped short
again as a voice called out : " Don't go, Brimton ! "
" Who spoke ? " exclaimed Hatteras.
" It was I that spoke," said Pen, boldly, going up to the
captain.
" And you said "
" I said and I say," interrupted Pen with an oath, ** that
we have had enough of this work? that we are not going
farther ; that we neither intend to be killed with hard work,
nor frozen to death in the winter; and that the furnaces
shall not be lighted ! "
3i8 AT THE NORTH POLE
Mr. Shandon/' replied Hatteras, coolly, " lay that man
m irons.
But, captain," objected Shandon, " what the man has
said is "
" Repeat what this man has said, and Fll have you locked
in your cabin and guarded Seize that man I Does no
one hear me ? "
Johnson, Bell, and Simpson went forward; but the in-
furiated Pen was beside himself. He caught up a hand-
spike, and brandishing it above his head, cried out :
" Touch me who dare ! "
Hatteras went right up to him with a loaded revolver,
which he aimed at his head, and said quietly: " Lift your
finger, and I blow your brains out."
A murmur of disapprobation was heard ; but it died away
immediately when Hatteras said : " Silence among you, or
that is a dead man."
Pen made no f tuther attempt at resistance, but allowed
Johnson and Bell to disarm him and lead him away to the
hold.
" Go, Brunton ! " said Hatteras.
The engineer obeyed without further parley, and the cap-
tain went up to the poop, followed by the Doctor.
As soon as the steam had acquired suflScient pressiu-e, the
anchors were lifted, and the Forward stood off for Point
Beecher, and went towards the east, cutting through the
newly-formed ice with her sharp prow.
She had to wend her way through narrow channeb be-
tween numerous small islands. The ice-streams were con-
stantly threatening to unite, hummocks had formed here
and there already, and it was easy to see that the first frost
that set in would consolidate the whole into one impene-
trable mass.
Yet every now and then the sun would reappear and
chase away the whirling snow, the thermometer would rise
several degrees, difficulties would vanish as if by enchant-
ment, and a stretch of dear, open water would greet the eye.
On Thursday, the 26th of July, the brig sailed close past
Isle Dundas, still keeping her prow steadily towards the
ncHth; but almost directly afterwards she came to an enor-
mous bank of ice, eight to nine feet high, composed of
small icebergs that had been detached from the coast
BEGINNINGS OF MUTINY 319
There was no getting past it except by making a deep bend
out of the course. At last a lead was discovered ; but still
the Forward made slow progress, for the fog came on, and
this is a serious obstacle to a sailing vessel among ice. So
long as the pilot can see a mile ahead, he can easily steer his
way through the packs ; but often it is so thick that he can*
not see a cable's length before him, and the difficulty was
increased by the blinding snow.
The birds were still very niunerous, and their cries were
deafening; the seals lolling indolently on the drifting
floes, betrayed little fear, though they stretched out their
long necks and gazed with wondering eyes as the vessel
passed by.
At length, after six days' wearisome navigation, Point
Beecher appeared to the north. Hatteras betook himself to
the mast-head, and remained there for hours ; for the open
sea discovered by Stewart in May, 1851, coiild not be far
oflF, and yet no sign of it as yet could be discovered. He
came down again after his long watch without saying a
word.
"Do jrou believe in this open sea?" asked Shandon,
speaking to James Wall.
" I begin to have my doubts," was the reply.
" Was I not right, after all, in treating this pretended
discovery as a mere chimera ? And yet no one would listen
to me, and even you, Wall, took the other side of the ques-
tion."
" They will listen to you now, Shandon."
" Yes, when it is too late," he replied, and retired to his
cabin, to which he had confined himself almost entirely
since his discussion with the captain.
According to Penny, the sea ought to be quite dear now,
for they had reached Point Barrow after taking ten days
to go thirty miles. What was Hatteras to think? Was
Penny's statement altogether apocr3rphal, or had winter
already set in ?
On the 15th of August the snow-covered head of Mount
Percy appeared through the fog, and next day the sim set
for tihe first time after incessant day for so long. How-
ever, the darkness which followed was by no means com-
plete ; though the sun had set, the refraction of his rays still
gave sufficient light.
320 AT THE NORTH POLE
On the 19th of August, Cape Franklin was sighted to
the east, and Cape Lady Franklin to the west; the one
doubtless was the extreme point reached by the bold navi-
gator ; and the other was so called by his grateful country-
men, in honor of his devoted wife, as a touching symbol of
the loving bond that united them so closely.
The Doctor, following Johnson's advice, was trying to
inure himself to the cold as much as possible, by remaining
nearly always on deck, in spite of wind and snow. His
health was unimpaired, though he had grown a little thin-
ner. He was quite prepared for fresh dangers, and gayly
welcomed each precursor of winter.
" Look at that flock of birds migrating south ! " he called
out one day to Johnson. " How swift they fly, shrieking
their last adieu as they go ! "
"Yes, Mr. Clawbonny, something tells them it is time
to go, and off they start."
" More than one among us, Johnson, I wager, would like
to follow their example."
" Chicken-hearted fellows I " said Johnson. " Those
poor flying things have not their food all ready to hand
like us, and of course they must seek it elsewhere. But
sailorsi with a good ship under their feet, ought to go to
the world's end."
"You hope then that Hatteras will succeed in his
projects ? "
" He will succeed, Fm sure of it, Mr. Clawbonny," an-
swered Johnson.
" I agree with you, Johnson, and even if only one faith-
ful friend remained to him "
" We should make two."
" You are right, Johnson," said the Doctor, grasping the
brave fellow's hand.
Prince Albert's Land, which the Forward was now along-
side, is also called Grinnel's Land, and though Hatteras so
hated the Yankees that he would never have given it that
name, most people know it by the American designation.
Both names were bestowed on it at the same time, though
by different people — Penny in honor of Prince Albert, and
Lieutenant de Haven, the commander of the Rescue, in
honor of Grinnel, the American merchant, at whose expense
the expedition had been sent out.
v. II Venre
BEGINNINGS OF MUTINY 321
After a succession of unheard-of difficulties, the Forward
sighted Mount Britannia, though it was scarcely visible
through the fog, and next day dropped anchor in Northum-
berland Bay, and found herself completely closed in on all
sides.
CHAPTER XXII
ASSAULT OF THE ICEBERGS
After seeing that the vessel was properly moored, Hat-
teras withdrew to his cabin and studied his chart atten-
tively. He found he was in latitude 76** 57', and longitude
92* 20'; in other words, almost close to the 77th parallel.
This was where Sir Edward Belcher passed his first winter
on the Pioneer and the Assistance and from this point he
organized his exploring parties, and succeeded in reaching
the 78th degree. Beyond this he found that the coast in-
clined to the S. E. towards Jones's Sound, which opens into
Baffin's Bay, but on the N. W. he could discern nothing as
far as the eye could see but clear, open water.
Hatteras gazed long and earnestly at the blank white
space on the map which represented the unexplored regions
round the Pole, and he said to himself:
** After all these testimonies from Stewart, Penny, Bel-
cher, I cannot doubt. The open sea must be there. These
bold, hardy men have seen it with their own eyes. Can it
be that it was during some exceptional winter, and that
now ? but no, that cannot be the case, for several years
elapsed between the discoveries. The basin exists and I
will find it, and see it for myself ! "
He went again on the bridge, but the ship was wrapped
in dense fog, and the mast-head was hardly visible from
deck; yet Hatteras made the ice-master come down, and
went himself to take his place in the " crow's-nest." He
was anxious to watch for the least rift in the fog to ex-
amine the northwest horizon.
Shandon could not lose the chance to say to his friend :
" Well, Wall, where is this open sea ? "
" You were right, Shandon, and we have not more than
six weeks' coal left now."
**0h! the Doctor will find some scientific method of
warming ourselves without fire. I have heard people say
322 AT THE NORTH POLE
that ice can be made with fire, so perhaps he can make us
fire with ice."
Next morning the fog cleared off for a few minutes, and
Hatteras could be seen eagerly scanning the horizon from
his elevated position; but he came down without saying a
word, and gave orders to sail forthwith. It was easy to
tell that his last hope had failed him.
The Forward weighed anchor, and once more resumed
her tmcertain course towards the north. It was evident
there would be a general frost before long, for the sea was
covered with whitish patches, looking like spots of oil, and
whenever the wind feU the whole surface was speedily cov-
ered with a sheet of ice, which broke up, however, and dis-
appeared as soon as the breeze returned. Towards night
the thermometer fell to 17*.
Often the leads seemed quite closed; but an unexpected
movement of the ice-streams would open the way in some
new direction, and the brave vessel would dash in at once
and follow it up boldly; but the cold was so intense that
during these forced stoppages, the steam that escaped from
the valves would condense immediately and fall in snow
on the deck. Sometimes there was another cause of delay.
The loose ice would get entangled among the machinery,
and adhere so firmly that the engine was powerless. The
sailors had to bring levers and handspikes, and break it
away, before the screw could work.
Thirteen days passed thus, during which the Forward
was dragging wearily through Penny's Straits. The
crew grumbled, but obeyed, for they saw that going back
was impossible. To go forth would be attended with less
peril now than to return soutli : it was time to think of win-
ter quarters.
The men had long talks among themselves about their
present situation, and even ventured to discuss it with Shan-
don, knowing quite well he was on their side.
" You say then, Mr. Shandon," said Gripper, " that we
cannot go back ? "
" It is too late now," replied Shandon.
" I suppose, then," said another sailor, " all we can do
is to make ourselves comfortable for the winter? "
" It is our only resource. I was not believed when
I "
ASSAULT OF THE ICEBERGS 323
«
Next time you will be," said Pen, who had returned
to his duty.
" As I shall not be master on board *' replied Shan-
don.
"Who knows?" said Pen. "John Hatteras is at lib-
erty to go as far north as he thinks proper, but we are not
obliged to follow him."
" He need only remember his first voyage to Baffin's Bay,
and what came of it," replied Gripper.
"Ay I and his voyage in the Farewell/^ said Qifton,
" when he lost his ship in the Spitzberg seas ! "
" And came home alone," added Gripper.
" Alone with his dog," replied Qifton.
" We have no desire to sacrifice ourselves for such a
man's good pleasure," put in Pen.
" No, nor to lose our hard-earned prize-money," rejoined
the avaricious Clifton. " When we have passed the 78th
parallel," he went on, " and we are not far off now, that
will be just £375 for each of us I "
" But shan't we forfeit it," asked Gripper, " if we return
without the captain ? "
" No," answered Clifton; "if it is proved that our re-
turn was absolutely necessary."
" But the captain might ^"
" Rest easy, Gripper," replied Pen. " We shall have a
captain, and a good one, that Mr. Shandon knows. When
a commander goes mad, he is displaced, and the power given
to another. Isn't it so, Mr. Shandon ? "
" My friends," replied Shandon, evasively, " you will al-
ways find in me a devoted heart to you ; but let us wait the
course of events."
It was evident the storm was gathering over the head of
Hatteras. But he went boldly on, firm and unshaken as
ever, full of energy and confidence. He saw that he would
be forced to winter in these regions ; but what of it ? Had
not Sir John Ross and McClure passed three winters in
succession here? What they had done, others could do.
On the 31st of August the thermometer stood at 13*.
The end of the navigable season had arrived.
Leaving Exmouth Isle on the right, the Forward passed
Table Isle, into the middle of the Belcher Channel. There
was scarcely an inch depth of water now under her keel;
324 AT THE NORTH POLE
and, far as the eye could reach, nothing was to be seen but
ice-fields.
Fortunately, it was possible to get a few minutes farther
north yet, by breaking the young ice with enormous rollers
and petards. The great thing to be dreaded in low tem-
peratures is a calm atmosphere, as ice forms so rapidly in
the absence of wind. Even contrary winds were joyfully
welcomed,' but they did not continue long; a calm night
came, and all was frozen.
The Forward could not winter in such a situation, how-
ever, exposed to winds and icebergs, and the currents of
the channel; and Hatteras sought to get beyond Point Al-
bert, where there was a sheltered bay which would afford a
safe refuge.
But, on the 8th of September, they came to a high, im-
passable wall of ice, which rose between them and the north.
The temperature fell to lo*, and Hatteras was almost at
his wits' end. He risked his ship a hundred times in im-
practicable leads, and displayed prodigies of skill in extri-
cating her again. Thoughtless and imprudent, and even
blind as he was, no one could deny that he was a good
sailor — indeed, one of the very ablest.
The Forward was now in a really perilous situation. All
was ice behind, and ice of such thickness, that the men
could run on it securely and tow the brig along.
Since there was no getting round this wall, Hatteras de-
termined to attack it with his blasting-cylinders. It took
the whole of one day to make holes in the ice of sufficient
depth, but he hoped all would be ready next morning for the
explosion.
However, during the night the wind began to rage fu-
riously. The sea rose under the ice as if shaken by some
submarine disturbance; and the terrified voice of the pilot
was heard shouting, " Look out at the stem ! Look out at
the stem ! "
Hatteras looked in the direction indicated, and certainly
it was an alarming sight that met his gaze. An enormous
iceberg, towering aloft like a mountain, was coming rush-
ing towards the ship with the speed of an avalanche.
" All hands on deck ! '* sang out Hatteras.
The huge moving mass was not more than half a mile
distant. On it came, tearing up the floes, crashing and
ASSAULT OF THE ICEBERGS 325
overturning, and sweeping the packs along like grains of
sand before the hurricane-blast.
"This is the worst danger that has ever threatened us
yet," said Johnson to Dr. Clawbonny.
" Yes, it looks appalling enough, certainly," replied the
Doctor.
" It is a regular assault, and we must prepare to meet
it," said Johnson.
" I dedare, one could fancy it was a whole pack of ante-
diluvian monsters, such as might be supposed to live about
the North Pole. They all seem pushing each other, and
hurrying on to see which will arrive first."
" Aye, and some are armed with sharp lances, which I
advise you to steer clear of, Dr. Clawbonny."
" It is going to be a regular siege," exclaimed the Doc-
tor. " Come and let us be up on the ramparts."
Away he rushed to the stem, where all the crew were
stationed with poles, and iron bars, and hand spikes, ready
to repulse the formidable enemy.
The avalanche arrived, increasing in height as it came,
owing to the acamiulation of smaller icebergs it caught
up in its train. Cannon-balls were fired, by the captain's
orders, to break the threatening line of attack; but it ad-
vanced nearer and nearer, and at length dashed against
the brig with a tremendous crash, breaking part of the bul-
warks.
"Keep to your posts, and look out for the bergs,"
shouted Hatteras.
There was much need, for they were boarding the vessel
with irresistible force : already packs weighing several hun-
dredweight had scaled the sides, while the smaller ones,
which had been dashed up in the onset as high as the masts,
fell down in a shower of pointed arrows, breaking the
shrouds and cutting the rigging. Some of the sailors were
sorely wounded by these bristling barbs as they stood, pole
in hand, each doing his utmost to repulse their assailants,
though almost overpowered by their numbers. Among
others, Bolton had his left shoulder completely ripped up.
The noise was terrible, and to add to it, Duk barked his
loudest with rage. The darkness of night greatly increased
the horrors of the situation, without hiding from view the
angry packs glistening in their dazzling whiteness.
326 AT THE NORTH POLE
From time to time the voice of Hatteras was heard amid
all the din and clamor of this strange, preternatural, im-
possible contest between men and icebergs. The brig,
yielding to the enormous pressure, leaned over on her lar-
board till her mainmast touched the ice-fields.
Hatteras understood the danger: it was a moment of
terrible anxiety, for each instant the brig might turn over
completely, or her masts be torn away.
Presently an enormous mass began to rise at the side of
the ship, extending right along her hull. It seemed forced
upward by some irresistible power, higher and higher, till
at last it was on a level with the poop. Should it fall on
the Forward, all was over. It turned and stood on end,
higher than the tallest mast, and tottered on its base. A
cry of terror escaped all lips, and there was a general rush
to the other side.
Suddenly the vessel was entirely lifted up, and for a brief
space seemed to float in the air. Then she came down
again and fell back on the ice, to be caught up next minute
in a tremendous roller, which made her timbers shiver, and
swept her right over to the other side of the insurmountable
barrier, on to an ice-field, into which she sank at once by
her own weight, and regained her proper element.
" We are over the icebergs ! " exclaimed Johnson.
" Praise God I " said Hatteras.
But though the ice barrier was surmounted, the brig was
motionless, fast locked in on all sides, and though the keel
was in the water, yet unable to stir.
It was soon evident, however, that if the brig was mo-
tionless, the field was not, and Johnson called out to the
captain :
" We are driving, sir."
" Well, we must just drive ! " replied Hatteras.
And, indeed, what else could they do? Resistance was
impossible.
The day came, and it was quite clear that, owing to the
action of some submarine current, the ice-field was moving
rapidly north.
To provide for any possible catastrophe, for the brig
might be dashed on some coast or crushed with the pressure
of the ice, Hatteras had a great quantity of provisions
brought up on deck, together with the tents and all the requi-
ASSAULT OF THE ICEBERGS 327
sites for encamping, and the clothing and blankets of the
crew. Following the example of McClure in similar cir-
cumstances, he also encircled the ship with a girdle of ham-
mocks inflated with air, so as to ward off great seas, and the
ice so accumulated on these that there was soon a high wall
all around, and nothing of the ship was visible except the
mainmast
For seven days they sailed along in this strange fashion.
On the loth of September they caught a glimpse of Point
Albert, the western extremity of New Cornwall. But they
soon lost sight of it, as the ice-field began now to move in
an easterly direction. Where could it go, and where
would it stop ? Who could say.
The crew waited with folded arms. At last, on the isth
of September, about three in the afternoon, the ice-field
came into collision, no doubt, with another field, for it
stopped suddenly short, and a violent shock shook the vessel
to her center. Hatteras, who had taken his bearings during
the day, consulted his chart. He found himself in the
north, with no land in sight, in longitude 95* 35', and lati-
tude 78* 15', in the heart of that unknown sea, where geog-
raphers have placed the point of greatest cold.
CHAPTER XXIII
PREPARATIONS FOR WINTERING
The average temperature of the regions in which Hat-
teras found himself was 15° lower than any other part of
the world. He was two hundred and fifty miles, by his
reckoning, distant from the last point of known land — that
is, from New Cornwall — and his ship was fast locked in
ice, as if embedded in granite.
It was a terrible situation to be in, and he knew what a
fearful winter he would have to go through, with a brig in
such a position and a half -mutinous crew. But his courage
rose to meet the danger, and he lost no time in commencing
preparations for winter quarters, aided by the long exper-
ience of Johnson.
Far as the eye could see, there was nothing but ice; not
a drop of water was visible in all the region. But the sur-
face of the ice-fields was by no means smooth and uniform.
328 AT THE NORTH POLE
Numerous icebergs raised their towering heads round the
ship, forming such a belt, that on three sides she was com-
pletely sheltered from the wind, and only tlie southeast
could blow on her. If one could only suppose rocks in-
stead of icebergs and verdure instead of snow, and the sea
in its normal condition, the Forward would have been lyin£
in a pretty sheltered bay. But what desolation reigned
around ! What a dismal prospect met the gaze !
The first business of the crew was to anchor the brig se-
curely, for, motionless as she was, there might be a sudden
break up of the ice-field, or some submarine current might
affect it. The sails were not taken down, but closely furled,
and before long the ice had encased them completely. Only
the running rigging was removed.
The pressure of the ice was so great, that it became neces-
sary to cut it away all round the ship. The packs had ac-
cumulated on her sides, and weighed her down beyond her
usual floating line. It was a tedious, difficult progress, oc-
cup3ang several days; but when at length the keel was re-
leased, the brig rose at once nine inches. Hatteras thought
it advisable to take the opportunity of examining it thor-
oughly, while it was exposed. Thanks to the solidity of its
construction, it was found to be quite uninjured, though the
copper sheathing was almost entirely torn off.
The next business was to slope away the ice right along
the hull, following the outline of the ship. By doing this,
the ice-field united again under the keel and prevented all
further pressure.
The Doctor lent a helping hand in all these operations,
infecting the men with his own good-humor, and get-
ting and giving information. He heartily approved of
this adjustment of the ship, and thought it an excellent
precaution.
" There is no other way of resisting the pressure, sir,"
said Johnson ; " now we can build a wall of snow all round
as high as the gunwale, and make it ten feet thick, if we like,
for we have no lack of material.
" Capital ! " said Dr. Clawbonny ; " for snow is a non-con-
ductor of caloric. It reflects instead of absorbs, and will
prevent the internal heat from escaping."
" Yes, sir, and we not only fortify ourselves against the
cold, but against four-footed enemies, should they take a
PREPARATIONS FOR WINTERING 329
fancy to pay us a visit. .We'll make a famous job of it,
and so you'll say when our work is finished/'
"There will be two flights of steps outside the ship —
one fore and one aft. As soon as the steps are cut, we
shall pour water over them, and this will make them as hard
as a rock, and we shall have stairs fit for a king."
Before long the whole vessel had disappeared beneath
a thick coating of ice. A roof made of tarred canvas was
spread over the deck the entire length of the ship and hang-
ing down the sides. This was covered with snow, to pre-
vent any external cold from penetrating. The deck was
thus converted into a promenade, also covered with snow
two and a half feet thick, well beaten and trodden down to
make it as hard as possible. Over this a layer of sand
was sprinkled, which became speedily incrusted, and gave
the deck the appearance of a macadamized road.
** I shall soon fancy myself in Hyde Park," said the Doc-
tor; "or in the hanging-gardens of Babylon."
At a convenient distance from the ship a fire-hole was
made ; that is to say, a well was dug in the ice, to provide a
constant supply of water, a very necessary measure both
for the frequent baths ordered the crew and in case of fire
breaking out on board. This well was dug as deep as pos-
sible, as the water is not so cold as near the surface.
The interior of the vessel was arranged with a view to
ward off the double danger of the Arctic regions — cold and
damp. The first brings the second — ^a foe still more to be
dreaded.
The Forward being constructed especially for the expe-
dition, was admirably adapted for the purpose. The fore-
castle was wisely planned, and war had been successfully
waged in the comers where damp first crept in. It would
have been better if the men's room had been circular, but
still with a good fire in the stove, it was very comfortable.
The walls were hung with deers' skins, instead of anything
woollen, as wool catches every vapor, and by their conden-
sation, impregnates the atmosphere with humidity.
The partitions were taken down in the poop, and the offi-
cers had one common room larger and more airy than the
forecastle, and also heated by a stove. Both it and the
men's room had a sort of ante-chamber, which cut off all
direct communication with the exterior. This prevented
330 AT THE NORTH POLE
the heat from escaping, and made a gradual passage from
one temperature to another. All wet clothes were put oflE
in these vestibules, and snow scraped from the boots.
A proper provision was made for the admission of air
into the stoves, and the fires were carefully regulated. The
temperature was kept up at 50*, and the snwllest possible
amount of coal used, as Hatteras found, on inspecting the
bunkers, that, with the severest, most rigid economy, he
had only enough for two months longer.
A drying-place was contrived for such clothing as had
to be frequently washed, for nothing could be dried in the
open air.
The delicate parts of the engine were carefully removed,
and the engine-room hermetically closed.
The regulation of the ship life was a matter of serious
consideration to Hatteras. At six the men rose, and three
times a week their hammocks were carried out into the
fresh air. Every morning the planks of the two living
rooms were rubbed with hot sand. Boiling tea was served
up at each meal, and as much variety as was practicable
introduced in the daily bill of fare. The dietary scale in-
cluded bread, flour, suet, and raisins for puddings; sugar,
cocoa, rice, lemon-juice, preserved meat, salt pork and beef,
pickled cabbage, and mixed pickles. The kitchen was out-
side the living rooms ; it woiUd have been an addition to the
heat to have placed it inside, but the cooking of food is a
constant source of evaporation and moisture, so that it
would have been a doubtful benefit.
Healtli is greatly dependent on food, and in high latitudes
as much as possible of animal substances requires to be con-
sumed.
" We must take example by the Esquimaux," said the
Doctor; "they have been taught by nature, and are apt
scholars. Arabs and Africans can live on a few dates and
a handful of rice, but here it is important to eat much.
An Esquimaux absorbs daily from ten to fifteen pounds of
oil. If his fare would not meet your taste, you must re-
place it by substances which abound in oil and sugar ; in a
word, you must have carbon and make carbon. It is all
well enough to put coals in the stove, but we must not for-
get we have a stove inside us which needs always replen*
ishing.'*
PREPARATIONS FOR WINTERING 331
The most scrupulous cleanliness was also rigidly enforced.
Each man was obliged to take a bath of the icy water every
other day as a matter of health, and also as an excellent
means of preserving natural heat The Doctor himself set
the example ; it was rather a trying operation at first, but in
the end he found it positively agreeable.
The men had to be on their guard not to get frostbitten
when they were out of doors shooting, or working or ex-
ploring. In the event of this happening, however, the
frozen part was briskly rubbed with snow till circulation
was restored. The clothing of the men was also carefully
attended to; they were all wrapped in flannel, and wore
deerskin capes and sealskin trousers.
The making of these several arrangements occupied
three weeks, and the first of October arrived without any
particular occurrence to record.
CHAPTER XXIV
AN OLD FOX OF THE JAMES ROSS EXPEDniON
The thermometer fell daily lower. There was little or
no wind, and the weather was tolerably fine. Hatteras
took advantage of the clear atmosphere to go out and re-
connoiter. He climbed the highest iceberg he could find,
but, as far as he could see, and aided by the glass, nothing
was visible but mountains and plains of ice. All was dreary
chaos, and he went back on board to try and reckon the
probable length of his captivity.
The hunting party, including the Doctor, James Wall,
Simpson, Johnson, and Bell, kept the ship in fresh meat.
All the birds had disappeared except the ptarmigans, but
these were in such abundance and so easily shot that there
was no fear of the supply being exhausted.
Hares, foxes, wolves, ermines, and bears were also to
be f otmd, but they were so ferocious that it was not easy
to get near them ; and, besides, when they had put on their
winter coats it was hard to distinguish them from the snow,
as they then possess its spotless whiteness, the fur becom-
ing completely changed as winter draws on.
Seals of every variety were also frequently met with. It
was a great object to kill these, not only for their skins, but
332 AT THE NORTH POLE
their fat, which is an excellent combustible. Their liver
is also good food, if nothing better can be had. Sometimes
they could be counted by hundreds, and two or three miles
away from the ship the ice was bored all over with their
breathing holes ; yet they were very difficult to seciu^, and
many were wounded that succeeded afterwards in making
their escape below the ice.
However, on the 19th, Simpson managed to get hold of
one not far from the ship. He had taken the precaution
to stop up its hole, so that it was at the mercy of the hunters.
After a long struggle the animal was dispatched; it meas-
ured nine feet, and was a magnificent specimen. The doc-
tor, wishing to preserve the head for his museum of natural
history and the skin for future needs, prepared both, by a
cheap and easy method. He plunged the body in the fire-
hole, and allowed the m)rriads of shrimps and prawns to
eat away the flesh. In half a day the operation was com-
plete, and no tanner in Liverpool could have done it better.
As soon as the sun had passed the autumnal equinox,
the Arctic winter may be said to begin. From the 2yd
of September the sun begins to descend below the horizon,
and on the 25th of October disappears altogether, not to
return till the month of February.
We must not imagine, however, that the darkness is total
dtu'ing the sun's long absence. The moon does her best
to replace him, and the stars shine their brightest The
planets are peculiarly resplendent, and the 'Aurora Borealis
is a frequent phenomenon, so that there is a sort of twi-
light for several hours every day, except when fog and snow
wrap the whole region in gloomy night
Meantime, however, the weather was favorable. No
one had any reason to complain of it, except the ptarmi-
gans and the hares, and the hunters positively allowed them
no rest They also set fox-traps, but the wary animals
would not allow themselves to be caught They often even
scratched up the snow under the trap and devoured the
teit, and came off scot free.
On the 25th of October a hurricane of extreme violence
broke loose ; thick snow filled the air, and made pitch dark-
ness about the Forward. For some hoiu^ great anxiety
was felt on board about Bell and Simpson, who were out
hunting. They did not reach the ship till next day, after
AN OLD FOX 333
being buried in snow five feet thick for twelve hours.
They had wrapped themselves in their deerskins and lain
down, letting the hurricane sweep over their heads till they
were almost frozen, and could hardly get back to their
quarters. The Doctor had great difficulty in restoring the
circulation.
The storm raged for eight days without ceasing ; no one
stirred out
During this compulsory leisure each man lived apart, as
it were, some sleeping, others smoking, and certain indi-
viduals talking together in a low voice, but breaking off the
conversation if Johnson or the Doctor came near; there was
no bond of union among them. They never assembled to-
gether for anything but evening prayers, and on the Sun-
days for divine service.
Qifton was perfectly aware of the fact, that now that tfie
78th parallel was passed, his share of the prize-money had
risen to £375. This was quite enough to satisfy his ambi-
tion. The others thought so too, and contented themselves
now with indulging in day-dreams of enjo3ring the fortune
won at such a price.
Hatteras remained almost invisible; he neither took part
in hunting nor walking; he showed no interest in any of
the meteorological phenomena which so excited the wonder-
ing admiration of the Doctor. He lived for one single
idea; three words will tell it — ^the North Pole. He was
only thinking of the time when the Forward would be re-
leased from her imprisonment, and able to resume her ad-
venturous voyage.
The Doctor employed himself in arranging his notes, of
which this narrative is the reproduction. He was never
idle, and his even temper never failed him ; but for all that
he was glad enough when the storm was over, and he could
resume hunting as usual.
On the 3rd of November he set out with Johnson and
Bell about six in the morning. The ice-fields were smooth,
and the snow, which lay so thick on them, was firm and
hard beneath their tread. The weather was cold and dry;
the moon shone with incomparable brilliancy, irradiating
cverv object with wondrous luster.
The Doctor had brought his friend Duk with him ; he was
much more serviceable in hunting than the Greenland dogs.
it
334 AT THE NORTH POLE
who seem to posess none of the sacred fire of the race in-
habiting temperate zones. But, in spite of all his clever-
ness in scenting game and running it down, the hunters had
not found so much as a hare after two hours' walking.
** I suppose all the game has fled south/' said the Doctor,
stopping at the foot of a hummock.
It certainly looks like it," rejoined Bell.
I don't think that's it," said Johnson; ** hares, and
foxes, and bears are made for this climate. In my opinion
it is die hurricane that has caused their disappearance, but
the south winds will soon bring them back. If you were
speaking of reindeer or muskdeer, it would be quite a dif-
ferent thing."
"And yet on Melville Island there are troops of those
very animals," said the Doctor. " Certainly it lies a little
further south, but when Parry wintered tiiere he found
them in abundance always,"
" We are not quite so well off," said Bell; "yet if we
could only lay in a store of bear's flesh, we should not have
much to complain of."
" Bell talks of bear's flesh," said Johnson, " but we want
his fat far more just now than even his flesh or fur."
" You are right, Johnson ; you are always thinking about
the stores," replied Bell.
" No wonder," returned Johnson, " when the bunkers will
be empty in at least three weeks, even with the utmost
economy."
" Yes, that's our greatest danger, for this is only the be-
ginning of November, and February is to come yet, the cold-
est month in the year in this zone. Well, if we can't get
bear's grease, we can always get seal's fat, at any rate."
" Not for long, Mr. Clawbonny," replied Johnson ; " these
animals will soon cease to show themselves above the ice,
either owing to fear or to the increasing cold."
" Then, after all," said the Doctor, " we shall have to fall
back on the bear, and certainly he is the most useful of all
the Arctic animals, for we can get food and clothing, and
light and fire out of him. Listen, Duk," he continued, pat-
ting the dog, " we want a bear, old boy ! Go and fetch him ;
there's a good old fellow ! "
Duk, who had been scenting along the ice all the time,
darted off like an arrow, barking vociferously. The hunt-
• fi
AN OLD FOX 335
ers followed, but, though they could hear him still distinctly,
they had to go a full mile before they came up to him. They
found him standing on a little hill, on the top of which some
enormous creature was moving about.
" We've got our wish for the asking/' said the Doctor,
loading his gun.
" Aye, it is a bear, and no mistake, and a jolly big one,
too," said Bell, imitating the Doctor's example.
" I don't know, it is a strange sort of bear," added John-
son, preparing to fire after his companions.
Duk was barking furiously. Bell advanced within twenty
feet and fired ; but the ball took no effect
Johnson's turn came last, but his ball was powerless like
the others.
" I see how it is I " exclaimed the Doctor ; " it is that con-
founded refraction again, one never gets used to it. Why,
that bear is more than a thousand paces off."
" Let us go nearer then," replied Bell.
Away rushed all three towards the animal, who did not
appear the least disturbed by their shots.
As soon as they were at the right distance they fired again,
and the bear gave one tremendous spring and fell at the foot
of the hill mortally wounded, there was no doubt.
Duk rushed upon him tooth and nail, holding him fast till
the hunters came up.
" Well, it hasn't been much trouble to kill that bear, any-
how," said the Doctor.
" Three shots and he is done for," exclaimed Bell, con-
temptuously.
It is very strange ! " said Johnson.
Unless we have chanced to come just at the very moment
he was dying of old age," suggested the Doctor, laughing.
" My word, it is little matter whether he is young or old.
It is a lucky prize for us."
But what was their blank amazement on reaching their
victim to find that it was a white fox instead of a bear !
" Well, I declare," said Bell, " if that's not too bad ! "
" Yes, I think so," replied the Doctor. " To kill a bear,
and then pick up a fox."
Johnson stood stupefied, not knowing what to say.
At last the Doctor burst out laughing again, and said :
" It is just the refraction, that everlasting refraction! "
if
336 AT THE NORTH POLE
" What do you mean, Mr, Clawbonny? " asked tiie car-
penter.
" Why, that we were deceived in the size as well as in the
distance. Refraction made us fancy we saw a bear when
it was only a fox. It is a mistake that has happened more
than once to hunters in the Arctic regions."
" Well, we'll eat him anyhow, whether it is a bear or fox.
Let us carry him off."
But just as Johnson was about to throw him over his
shoulders, he stopped short and said :
Here's something stranger still ! "
What's that ? " asked the Doctor.
Look here, Mr. Clawbonny. The beast has a collar
round his neck."
" A collar ! " exclaimed the Doctor, bending down to ex-
amine the animal.
Sure enough there was a brass collar half worn away
round his neck, peeping through his white fur. The Doctor
fancied he could perceive an inscription on it, and pulled it
off to make a closer inspection.
" What does it say ? " asked Johnson,
" It says that this fox is at least twelve years old, a fox
caught by James Ross in 1848."
" Is it possible! " exclaimed Bell.
*' There is not the least doubt of it. I am only sorry we
killed the poor beast While James Ross was wintering
here, he snared a great quantity of white foxes, and had
brass collars riveted on their necks, with the name and where-
abouts of his two ships, the Enterprise and Investigator, in-
scribed on it, and also where the provision depots were to
be found. These animals roam great distances in quest of
food, and Ross's idea was that some of them might fall into
the hands of Franklin's party. And now, instead of that,
we have shot him with our balls, when he might have saved
the lives of two ships' crews."
" We won't eat him, at any rate," said Johnson ; " and
besides, he is twelve years old. We'll keep his skin though,
as a memento of this curious adventure."
Throwing the dead fox across his shoulder, and followed
by his two companions, Johnson began to retrace his steps
towards the vessel, guided by the stars. Their expedition
had not been altogether unsuccessful, for they managed dur-
V. II Venre
AN OLD FOX 337
ing the homeward route to bring down several brace of
ptarmigan.
Just about an hour before they reached the ship, a phe-
nomenon occurred, which filled the Doctor with amazement.
It was a regular shower of shooting-stars. They fell in
myriads, completely eclipsing the light of the moon. This
grand meteoric display lasted several hours. A similar
shower was observed in Greenland by the Moravian
Brethren in 1799. The Doctor sat up all night to gaze at
this wonderful phenomenon, which continued till seven
o*clock the next morning.
CHAPTER XXV
THE LAST BIT OF COAL
The bears appeared absolutely impregnable ; not one was
taken. Indeed, nothing was killed except a few seals, and
then the wind changed and the snowfalls became so violent
that it was impossible to leave the ship.
On the isth of November the thermometer fell to 24*
below zero. This was the lowest temperature they had
hitherto experienced, yet with a calm atmosphere the cold
would have been bearable, but the stormy wind that Wew
seemed to fill the air with sharp lancets.
Even had it been possible to venture out, the least exercise
would soon have made a man pant for breath. Not a fourth
part of the usual work could be done by the crew, and woe
to the hapless individual who was incautious enough to touch
anything made of iron. He felt as if he had been suddenly
burnt, and the skin was torn off his hand, and remained
sticking to the article he had so imprudently grasped.
The only relief to the close confinement was a daily walk
of two hours on the covered-in deck, and the permission to
smoke, which was not allowed down below.
The stoves had to be carefully attended to, for if the fires
got the least low, the walls became covered with ice, and not
only the walls, but every peg, and nail, and inch of metal.
The instantaneousness of this phenomenon astonished the
Doctor. The breath of the men seemed to condense in a
second, and leap, as it were, from fluid to solid, falling in
snow all round them. Only a few feet away from the fire
338 AT THE NORTH POLE
the cold was felt in all its intensity, and it was little wonder
that the poor shivering fellows huddled round the stove in
a close group, scarcely ever changing their position.
Yet Sie Doctor counseled them wisely to try and get
inured to the temperature by gradually exposing themselves
to its influence. But his advice was in vain, though he
practiced what he preached. The men were nearly all too
lazy or too benumbed to leave their post, and preferred
sleeping away their time in the warm unwholesome at*
mosphere.
As for Hatteras, he seemed not to fed the change in the
temperature in the least. He walked about as usual in per-
fect silence, and would be absent from the ship for hours,
and return, to the astonishment of his crew, without a sign
of cold on his face. What was the secret of this? Was he
so wrapped in one idea that he was actually not susceptible
of outward impressions ?
"He is a strange man!" said the Doctor to Johnson.
" He amazes even me ; he has a blazing fire inside him ! '*
" It is a positive fact," replied Johnson ; " that he goes
about in the open air with not a stitch more clothing than he
wore in the month of June ! "
"Oh I as far as clothes are concerned, that is nothing;
what's the good of wrapping up a man who has got no heat
in himself? You may as well try and warm ice by putting
it in a blanket. Hatteras does not need that ; he is so con-
stituted that really I should not be astonished to see things
catch alight that come near him, as if they had touched glow-
ing coal I "
On the 28th the thermometer fell to 32* below zero.
There was only enough coal to last ten days longer.
Hatteras dispensed now with the fire in the poop, and
shared the common room of the men with Shandon and
the Doctor. This brought him into more direct contact
with his crew, who bestowed on him sullen, scowling
glances. He heard their reproaches and recriminations,
and even threats, without daring to punish. Indeed, he
seemed deaf to all that was spoken, and sat in a comer
away from the fire, with his arms folded, in perfect si-
lence.
In spite of the Doctor's advice. Pen and his friends re-
fused to take the least exercise. They spent whole days
THE LAST BIT OF COAL 339
crouching over the stove, or in their hammocks rolled up
in the blankets, and the consequence was that their health
gave way, and scurvy, that terrible disease, made its ap-
pearance on board.
The Doctor had been dealing out lemon-juice and lime
pastilles every morning for a considerable time, but these
usually efficacious remedies had no apparent effect. The
malady ran its course, and soon assumed the most frightful
forms.
What a sight the unhappy sufferers presented! Their
legs swollen to an enormous size, and covered with large
dark-blue spots; tlieir gums bleeding, and lips so tumid,
that articulation was almost impossible.
Qifton was first attacked by the cruel malady, and he
was soon followed by Gripper, Brunton, and Strong.
Those who escaped were forced to witness the sufferings
of the others, for there was but one living room, and this
had to be forthwith turned into a hospital, as within a few
days thirteen out of the eighteen men, which composed the
crew of the Forward, were confined to their hammocks.
Pen was not attacked, thanks to his vigorous constitution.
Shandon exhibited a few premonitory symptoms, but he
succeeded in warding these off by exercise and regimen,
and remained tolerably well.
The Doctor attended his patients with unremitting care,
and his heart was often wrung with the sight of pain he
could not relieve. He did all he could to raise the spirits of
the dejected men, and by conversation and sympathy, and
ingenious devices, to lighten the monotony of their long,
weary days. He read aloud, and drew largely on the stores
of his wonderful memory for their amusement; but often
and often his stories would be interrupted by a groan or
moaning cry from one or other, and he would have to break
off. and try anew all the resources of his healing art.
Meantime, his own health remained unimpaired. He be-
came no thinner, and his corpulence was better than the
warmest clothing. He often congratulated himself on be-
ing like the seal and the whale, so encased in good thick
fat that he could easily bear the rigors of an Arctic winter.
Hatteras, for his part, felt nothing, either mentally or
physically. The sufferings of his men seemed not to touch
him in the least, though, perhaps, he would not allow his
340 AT THE NORTH POLE
cmodon to appear, and a dose observer miglit hare discov-
ered a bumaiie heart beating under that iron exterior.
The thermometer fell still lower ; the deck was quite de-
serted except by the Esquimaux dogs, who kept howling
piteously. The 8th of December arrived, and the Doctor
went out as usual to look at the thermometer. The mercury
was frozen— completely frozen !
" Forty- four d^rees below zero i " he exclaimed, in dis-
may. Yes ! and on this very day the last atom of coal was
thrown into the stove.
CHAPTER XXVI
CHKISTHAS
For a moment despair gained the upper hand, and deadi
seemed staring the unhappy crew in tiie face— death from
cold. The fire got lower each moment, and the effect was
soon felt on the temperature of the room. Jcdmson went to
fetch some of his new combustible, and filled the stove with
it, adding tow impr^^ted with frozen oil, which speedily
gave out abundant heat True, the stench was unb^rable,
and the boatswain was sufficiently convinced that his sub-
stitute for coal would find no favor in the middle-class
houses of Liverpool But what was to be done? It was
this fat or nothing.
" And yet," said Johnson, " this stinking stuff may bring
us some good after all."
" How's that ? " asked the carpenter.
" It will be sure to attract tlie bears. They will think it
a most savory odor."
" Well, but I don't see what we want with bears," replied
Bell.
" Friend Bell," returned Johnson, ** we can't reckon on
any more seals ; they have taken their departure for a long
time, and if the bears don't furnish their share of combustibk
material, I don't see what is to become of us."
" You are right, Johnson. We are in a perilous situation
— it is frightful to think of it. Only suppose our stock of
this fat coming to an end ! I see no way, I must confess ! "
" Except one."
" And what is that? " asked Bell.
CHRISTMAS 341
" Except one, Bell, but the captain would never consent
to It ; and yet it may come to that," added Johnson, shaking
his head, for he knew he had only fat enough to last a week.
The old sailor was right. Several bears were seen to lee-
ward, and the few men that remained well gave them chase.
But these animals are endowed with such remarkable swift-
ness and such cimning, that they completely baffle their pur-
suers. It was found impossible to get near them, and not
a single ball took effect, even fired by the best shots.
The crew of the brig were certainly in a serious plight.
Forty-eight hours without fire in such a temperature would
seal their doom. •
At last, on the 20th of December, about 3 p. m., things
came to a crisis. The fire burnt out, and the sailors stood
around the stove gazing at each other with wild, haggard
faces. Hatteras remained motionless in his comer. The
Doctor paced up and down in an agitated manner, at his wits'
end to devise some expedient, not knowing what to say
or do.
But others acted for him now. Shandon, cool and deter-
mined, and Pen with flashing angry eyes, and two or three
of their comrades who were still able to drag themselves
along, went towards Hatteras.
" Captain," said Shandon.
But Hatteras, buried in thought, did not hear him.
Captain ! " he said again, touching his hand.
Sir 1 " said Hatteras, starting up.
Captain, we have no fire."
Well," replied Hatteras.
If it is your intention to let us perish' with' cold," said
Shandon with terrible irony, "perhaps you will be kind
enough to inform us."
" My intention," replied Hatteras in a grave tone, " is that
each man shall do his duty to the end."
" There is something higher than duty, captain — ^the right
of self-preservation. I tell you again we have no fire, and
if we don't get one, not a man among us will be alive in two
days' time."
" I have no wood," said Hatteras in a hollow voice.
" Very well," exclaimed Pen, passionately ; ** when people
have no wood, they must go and cut it down where it
grows."
u
i€
t€
ti
U
342 AT THE NORTH POLE
€€
it
Hatteras paled with rage, and said :
Where may that be ? "
On deck," was the insolent reply.
On deck ! *' repeated the captain, clenching his fist, his
eyes sparkling with indignation.
"Certainly," return^ Pen; "when the ship can't sail,
bum her."
Hatteras lifted a hatchet when Pen began to speak, and
swinging it over his head, would have killed him on the spot,
had not the Doctor rushed forward and pulled him aside by
main force. The hatchet fell on the ground, sticking fast
in the planks.
Johnson, Bell, and Simpson gathered roimd Hatteras, de-
termined to support his authority, but plaintive moans rose
from the sick-beds, and feeble voices were heard imploring
fire.
Hatteras had a struggle to command himself sufficiently
to speak, but after a few minutes' silence, he said, in a calm
tone :
" If we destroyed the ship, how could we get back to Eng-
land?"
" Perhaps, sir, we might bum those parts that are not
absolutely necessary, such as the gunwale," suggested John-
son. " We should always have the boats to fall back upon,"
said Shandon ; " and, moreover, what is there to hinder us
from building a smaller ship out of the remains of the old
oner
?"
Never ! " replied Hatteras.
" But, sir " began several voices at once.
" We have a great quantity of spirits of wine on board,"
said Hatteras. " Bum it all to the last drop."
" Well, go and fetch the spirits of wine, my men," said
Johnson.
By steeping large wicks in this inflammable liquid a pale
flame was soon visible in the stove, and the temperature of
the room was raised a little.
During the next few days the wind was south, and the
thermometer rose a few degree. Some of the sailors ven-
tured out again for a few hours, but ophthalmia and scurvy
kept the greater part on board still close prisoners.
But tJie respite was of short duration, and on the 25th the
mercury was again frozen in the tube.
CHRISTMAS 343
By means of spirits of wine, however, the Doctor man-
aged to thaw it, and discovered to his horror that the tem-
perature was 66* below zero. He had not thought it pos-
sible that life could be sustained in such conditions.
The ice lay glittering on the flooring, and a thick fog filled
the room, mingled with the snow caused by the condensation
of the breath of the inmates. The men could hardly see one
another; hands and feet had become almost dead and quite
blue. The first symptoms of deliritun appeared, and the
tongue lost the power of articulation.
From the day that Pen had threatened to bum the ship,
Hatteras had almost lived on deck, remaining on the bridge
for long hours mounting guard over his treasure : for this
wood was like his own flesh, and he would as soon have
thought of cutting off a limb as cutting off an inch of it.
There he stood, completely armed, and wholly insensible to
cold and snow, though the frost had stiffened his clothes, and
encased him in an icy covering. Duk always accompanied
him, barking and howling.
On the 25th of December, however, he went below for a
while, and the Doctor, summoning all his remaining strength,
went up to him directly and said :
" Hatteras, we are dying for want of fire."
" Never I " said Hatteras, understanding the unuttered re-
quest that lay in his words.
It must be done," replied the Doctor, gently.
Never I " repeated Captain Hatteras even more vehem-
ently; "never will I consent. Let them disobey if they
choose ! "
Johnson and Bell needed no further permission, but
rushed on deck, hatchets in hand. Hatteras heard the wood
falling beneath their strokes, and wept
And this was Christmas Day, so dear to English hearts!
the day of family gatherings, when children and children's
children cluster so joyously about the fireside. What a bit-
ter contrast this to those festive hours, ringing with the glad
laugh of merry children round their Christmas tree ! to those
tables groaning with the abundance of roast beef and pliun-
pudding, and mince pies, and all the rich Christmas viands !
Nothing here on all sides but pain, and misery, and despair ;
nothing of Christmas, save the " Yule log," and this — ^part of
a lost ship, lost amid the ice and snow of the frigid zone.
\
\
344 AT THE NORTH POLE
However, the fire soon made its reanimating influence
felt, and steaming bowls of tea and coffee lent their aid in
restoring the benumbed men to some degree of physical com-
fort, and even revived the dying hope in their hearts.
The 1st of January was marked by an unexpected discov-
ery. The weather was mild, and the Doctor had resumed his
usual studies. He was reading Sir Edward Belcher's " Nar-
rative of his Polar Expedition," when he came across a pas-
sage he had never noticed before. He read it over and over
again, to satisfy himself it was no mistake.
Sir Edward stated that after reaching the end of the
Queen's Channel, he met with traces of human habitation on
the shore.
" * We found the remains,' he said, * of dwellings far
superior to any of those which would be inhabited by the
wandering tribes of Esquimaux. The walls had good
foundations, and there was a paved space, covered with fine
gravel. We saw a great quantity of bones of reindeer, and
walrus, and seals. We found coal there/ ''
As the Doctor read these concluding words, an idea
crossed his mind, which he determined to communicate to
Hatteras forthwith, so, book in hand, he went in search of
him.
" Coal, did you say ! " exclaimed the captain, when he told
him of his discovery.
" Yes, Hatteras, coal I that's to say, our means of salva-
tion."
"But coal on this barren coast," returned Hatteras.
" No, that's not possible ! "
"Why doubt it, Hatteras? Belcher would never have
stated the fact if he had not seen it with his own eyes! "
" Well, granting it to be true, what then, Doctor? "
" We are not more than a hundred miles from the place
where Belcher saw this coal ; and what's an excursion of a
hundred miles? Nothing. Much longer journeys have
often been made over the ice in quite as cold weather as this.
Let us set off, captain."
" We will ! " exclaimed Hatteras, clutching eagerly at tiie
forlorn hope.
Johnson was speedily informed of the project, which met
his hearty approval. He communicated the news to the rest
" Let them go," whispered Shandon, mysteriously.
CHRISTMAS 345
But before ever commencing preparations for departure,
Hatteras took the utmost pains to calculate the exact position
of the Forward. This was a matter of the utmost import-
ance, for otherwise it would be impossible to find the ship
again after once leaving her. After much difficulty he sue*
ceeded in making an accurate reckoning, and went down
again to compare it with his chart.
For a minute he looked as if stupefied, and then asked the
Doctor if he knew the exact latitude when they had taken
up winter quarters.
" Of course I do," was the reply. " It was 78" 15" lati-
tude, and 95* 35" longitude."
"Well, then," returned Hatteras, in a low voice, "our
ice-field is drifting, we are two degrees farther north, and
more to the west, and three hundred miles at least from
your coal depot."
" And these poor fellows are not aware of it ! " exclaimed
the Doctor;
" Hush I " said Hatteras, laying his finger on his lips.
CHAPTER XXVII
PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE
Captain Hatteras would not acquaint his men with
the discovery he had made, and he was right, for there was
no knowing into what excesses despair might have led
them, had they felt themselves thus irresistibly dragged
farther north.
To himself, however, the knowledge of the fact afforded
the greatest joy. This was the first happy moment he had
known for many long months ; but not even to the Doctor
did he speak of it, and he had such perfect self-control tliat
his friend never suspected his hidden sentiments, though he
sometimes wondered to himself what could make his eye so
unusually bright.
By getting nearer the Pole, the Forward had got farther
away from fiie coal-bed mentioned by Sir Edward Belcher,
and instead of a hundred miles, it would be necessary to go
back at least two hundred and fifty miles. However, after
a short consultation with Qawbonny and Johnson, it was
resolved to adhere to the project.
r
346 AT THE NORTH POLE
They reckoned that the journey would take forty days
at the outside, and Johnson tindertook to provide all that
was necessary.
His first care was the sledge. It was of Greenland make,
thirty-five inches wide and twenty-four feet long, made of
long planks bent up back and front, and stretched in the
form of a bow by strong ropes to give it elasticity. This
sledge would nm easily over hard ice, but in snowy weather
a wooden framework was added, which lifted it a little above
the ground. To make it glide along still more smoothly,
the bottom was rubbed over, in Esquimaux style, with a mix-
ture of sulphur and snow.
Six dogs were selected as steeds for this equipage — ^strong,
hardy animals, in spite of their lean, skinny appearance, and
able to drag 2,000 pounds weight without being over
fatigued. The harness was in good condition, and alto-
gether the sledge was a reliable affair.
For camping, a tent was provided, in the event of being
unable to construct a snow hut; also a large Mackintosh
sheet to spread over the snow, to prevent it from melting by
contact with the body; several woolen blankets and buffalo
skins, and the Halkett-boat
The stores consisted of five cases of pcmmican, weigh-
ing about 450 pounds; twelve gallons of spirits of wine, tea,
and biscuit ; together with a little " portable kitchen," and a
quantity of wicks and tow; besides powder and shot, and
two double-barreled gims. Each man, following Captain
Parry's example, was provided with an india-rubber bdt, in
which tea, coffee, and water could be carried, and kept in a
liquid state by the heat of the body, accelerated by the motion
of walking.
Johnson bestowed special pains on the manufacture of the
snow-shoes. These were fixed on wood, and strapped with
leather. They served the purpose of skates, but, where the
ground was very hard and slippery, deer moccasins were
better, and each member of the party was therefore fur-
nished with two pairs of both.
These important preparations occupied four whole dajrs.
Every morning Captain Hatteras reckoned his exact posi-
tion, and found that the ice-fields had ceased moving. It
was absolutely necessary to ascertain this for the srfce of
returning.
PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE 347
Whom to choose for the expedition was the next consid-
eration. This was a matter of deep thought to Hatteras, for
many of the men were useless to take ; and yet would it be
wise to leave them behind ? However, since the lives of all
depended on the success of the enterprise, he finally decided
to take none with him but tried and trusty followers.
Shandon consequently was excluded, but he showed no
regrets on that score. James Wall was out of the question,
for he could not rise from his hammock.
None of the sick men were getting worse, happily, and as
their treatment consisted mainly in constant friction and
large doses of lemon-juice, the Doctor's presence was not re-
quired. He therefore resolved to head the party, and no
one made the faintest protest against his decision.
Johnson was most desirous to accompany the captain in
his perilous undertaking ; but Hatteras took him aside, and in
an affectionate, almost agitated manner, said :
"Johnson, I have no confidence in anyone but yourself;
you are the only officer to whom I can entrust my ship. I
must know you are here to watch Shandon and the others.
Winter has them fast in iron chains, but who knows what
wickedness they may be capable of? You shall be furnished
with formal instructions to assume command if necessary.
You will be my second self. Our absence will extend to
four or five weeks at most, and I shall be easy in having you
here while I am obliged to be away. You must have wood,
Johnson, I know, but as much as possible spare my poor ship.
You understand me, Johnson ? "
" Yes, captain," said the old sailor, " and I will remain
here since it is your wish."
"Thanks!" said Hatteras, grasping his hand warmly.
Then he added : "If you do not see us come back, Johnson,
wait till the ice breaks up, and try to push farther towards
the Pole; but should the others oppose this, don't think of
us at all, but take the ship back to England."
" Is this truly your will, captain? "
" My absolute will," replied Hatteras.
" Your commands shall be obeyed," said Johnson simply.
The Doctor felt the loss of his old friend, but he knew
Hatteras had decided for the best.
The two others chosen were Bell and Simpson. Bell was
in good health, and a brave, devoted fellow, and would be
t.-
348 AT THE NORTH POLE
most useful in putting up the tent, and making snow-houses.
Simpson was a man of softer mould, but lie was willing,
and might be serviceable in hunting and fishing.
Thus, then, the detachment consisted of Hatteras, Claw-
bonny, Bell, Simpson, and the faithful Duk — fotu* men and
seven dogs.
During the first few days of January, the temperature re-
mained on the average of 33* below zero. Hatteras eagerly
watched for a change of weather, and often consulted the
barometer: but in these high latitudes no reliance can be
placed on any barometer. When it is high, it o.ftcn brings
snow and rain, and when it is low, fine weather.
At last, on the 5th of January, an east wind brought a
temporary rise in tiie temperature of is"*, and Hatteras re-
solved to start next day. He was impatient to be off, for he
could not bear to see the brig cut to pieces before his eyes.
The entire poop had already gone to feed the stove.
On the 6th, therefore, the order to set out was given. The
Doctor gave his last injunctions to his patients, and Bell and
Simpson shook hands silently with their comrades. Hat-
teras was about to bid his men " good-by '* aloud, but black
scowling looks met him on all sides, and he fancied a mock-
ing smile lurked on Shandon's lips. He was silent, and per-
haps for an instant hesitated about leaving; but it was too
late now to alter his plan. The sledge was packed and har-
nessed, and Bell had already gone on. The rest of the party
followed, and Johnson accompanied them for about a quar-
ter of a mile. Hatteras would not allow him to go farther,
so he bade them farewell with many a lingering look, and
returned to the brig.
CHAPTER XXVni
ACROSS THE ICE-FIELDS
The little band of adventurers went on towards the south-
east. Simpson managed the sledge, aided zealously by Duk.
Hatteras and the Doctor brought up the rear, and Bell was
the scout in advance.
The rising of the thermometer announced an approaching
snow storm, which soon began and greatly increased the
difficulties of the way. The surface of the ice was very un-
ACROSS THE ICE-FIELDS 349
even and rugged, and the dogs were constantly sttimbling, at
great risk of overturning the sledge.
Hatteras and his companions wrapped themselves closely
in their skin clothing, of rude Greenland make, and certainly
somewhat unshapely, but admirably adapted to the necessi-
ties of the climate. The hoods were drawn right over
head and face, and nothing left exposed but eyes, nose,
and mouth.
They walked along over the monotonous plain almost in
silence, for it was torture to open the mouth : sharp crystals
formed immediately between the lips, which even the warm
breath was powerless to melt.
Numerous traces of bears and foxes were met with, but
not a solitary animal was perceived during the whole of the
first day. It did not matter much, for it would have been
both useless and dangerous to htmt them, since the sledge
was heavily enough loaded already.
It is customary generally with exploring parties to lighten
the sledges by depositing stores on the way at intervals,
which are taken up on returning ; but this was impracticable
on ice-fields, which might drift off at any moment.
At mid-day Hatteras made a halt for breakfast, which
consisted of pemmican and hot tea, and glad enough were the
poor travelers of the reviving beverage.
After resting an hour, the march was resumed, and by
night they had gone about twenty miles. Men and dogs
were tired out : but in spite of fatigue, a snow-hut must be
built before they could lie down to sleep. This was an hour
and a half's work. Bell showed great skill in cutting the
blocks and laying one above another in a circular dome-like
form. The snow served for mortar to fill up all interstices,
and became so hard that the whole hut soon appeared as if
made of one solid piece. The only entrance was a narrow
opening, into which they had to crawl on all-fours. The
Doctor squeezed in somehow, though it was rather a tight fit,
and the others followed. The portable kitchen was lighted,
and supper speedily prepared.
When the repast was over, the mackintosh was spread
on the grotmd, and shoes and socks put to dry by the little
spirit stove, and then three of the party wrapped themselves
in their warm blankets and went to sleep, leaving the fourth
man to keep watch and prevent the opening from getting
350 AT THE NORTH POLE
stopped up. This was necessary for the safety of the rest,
and each man had charge in his turn.
Duk shared his master's quarters. His brethren were out-
side, and found a bed for themselves among the snow.
Sleep soon came to the weary men, and at 3 a. m. the
Doctor rose to moimt guard. He could hear the storm rag-
ing without, but within the hut the temperature was toler-
ably comfortable.
Next morning at six o'clock the monotonous march began
once more. It was easier walking, however, for the snow
had hardened. They often came across what looked like
cairns, or possibly Esquimaux hiding-places, and the Doctor
could not rest easy till he had demolished one ; but, to his dis-
appointment, he found it was nothing but a block of ice.
" What did you hope to find, Mr. Qawbonny ? " asked
Hatteras. " Are we not the first that have ever trod this
ice?"
" Likely enough, and yet who knows ! "
" Don't let us waste time in useless searches," returned
the captain. " I am in haste to get back to my ship, even
without the coal we so need ! "
" Doctor," said Hatteras, often, " I was wrong to leave
the brig. It was a mistake. A captam's place is on board,
and nowhere else."
" Johnson is there."
" I know that, but let us make haste."
The sledge went swiftly on, and owing to some peculiar
phosphorence in the snow, seemed traversing red-hot ground,
raising a cloud of sparks as it ran along. The Doctor
hurried forward to examine this phenomenon more closely,
but all of a sudden, in trying to jump over a hummock, he
disappeared. Bell ran towards the spot immediately, but
the Doctor was nowhere to be seen, and though he shouted
his name, there was no reply till the captain, who came up
just then with Simpson, called out:
" Doctor ! where are you ? "
"Down here, in a hole," was the reassuring answer.
" Throw me the end of a rope, and let me get to the earth's
surface again."
The hole into which he had fallen was full ten feet deep,
but his three companions succeeded in drawing him safely
up, though not without difficulty.
ACROSS THE ICE-FIELDS 351
u
Are you hurt ? " asked Hatteras.
Never a bit ! there is no fear of me," he replied, shaking
the snow off his good-tempered face.
" But how did it happen? "
"Oh! it is all owing to refraction — ^always that stupid
refraction/' he said, kughing. " I thought I was going to
jimip over a gap not more than a foot broad, and I. found
myself in a hole ten feet deep. Take a lesson from me, and
don't venture a step till you have tried the groimd with your
staff. There is no trusting to one's senses in this region, for
both ears and eyes deceive one."
" Can we go on ? " said Hatteras.
" Oh, go on, by all means. This little tumble will do me
more good than harm."
Once more they set off, and by the time they halted for
tlie night had gone a distance of five-and-twenty miles.
While the hut was being constructed for their night quar-
ters, nothing would serve the Doctor but he must climb to the
top of an iceberg and look about him.
The moon was almost full, and shining in the clear sky
with extraordinary brilliancy. The stars, too, were won-
drously beautiful, and as he gazed over the plain below, the
surpassing grandeur of the spectacle amply repaid for the
fatigue of tiie ascent It resembled some vast cemetery full
of monuments of every description, in which twenty genera-
tions lay slumbering ; and in spite of cold and weariness, the
Doctor could not tear himself from the scene. He was so
absorbed and entranced that his companions could scarcely
persuade him to come down. But the hut was ready, and it
was high time to think of sleep, so he crept in after the
others, and was soon in the arms of Morpheus.
The next few days passed without any particular incidents,
sometimes making quicker and sometimes slower progress,
till they reached the isth of January.
The moon was now in her last quarter, and only visible for
a short time. The stm, though never appearing above the
horizon, made a sort of dim twilight for about six hours in
the day. But it was too faint to show the road, and the
travelers had to steer the way by the compass. Bell went
first, and set up a landmark for the rest to follow, so as to
keep in a straight course as far as possible.
On the 15th of February, which was on a Sunday, Hat-
35-i AT THE NORTH POLE
teras calculated that they had made a hundred miles. He
devoted the morning to repairing sundry articles and to reli-
gious worship, and started again about noon.
The temperature was cold, only 32* above zero, and the air
very clear.
Suddenly, without any warning and without any apparent
reason, a sort of vapor began to rise from the ground, and
condensed into minute frozen particles, instantly filling the
atmosphere like dense fog, and rising to the height of aboHt
ninety feet, where it remained stationary. It was impossible
to see a foot before one, and long prismatic crystals hung
from everybody's clothes.
This was the frost rime that had surprised the travelers,
and its first effect was to make them wish to keep close to-
gether. Each began feeling and fumbling for the other, and
calling out his name. But in this dense fog there was not
only no seeing, but no hearing, for sounds cannot pass
through it.
The same thought apparently struck each to fire a gun as
a signal. But the confusion that followed was indescribable,
for the noise was echoed far and wide, in one continuous
roll.
Each man was left to his own instinct, and each acted in a
characteristic manner. Hatteras stopped short, and stood
with his arms folded to wait patiently. Simpson managed
to keep fast by the sledge. Bell felt for foot-marks on the
ground, and the Doctor went timibling about among the
great blocks of ice, now going to the left and then to the
right, and the losing himself completely.
After stumbling along in this fashion for five minutes or
so, he said to himself :
" This can't last ! Strange climate ; rather too freaky for
my taste. There is no reckoning on it Hallo, captain,
where are you ? " he shouted again.
But there was no response, and he resolved to reload his
gun and fire a second time.
While doing this, he fancied he could discern the outlines
of some dark object close by, and he called out :
" At last ! Hatteras, Bell, Simpson, who is it? Speak ! ''
A low growl was the only reply.
" Ha ! what can this be? " thought the good little man.
The moving mass came nearer, its proportions beinr in-
ACROSS THE ICE-FIELDS 353
creased by the fog rather than diminished A' terrible sus-
picion crossed the Doctor's mind.
** It is a bear ! " he said to himself. And a bear it actually
was, of huge dimensions. Bruin had lost his way in the fog
like his neighbors, and was going hither and thither in all di-
rections, almost knocking right against his enemies, though
he little imagined their proximity.
" I'm in a pretty fix now," thought the Doctor, remaining
quite stilL
The animal sometimes came so close to him that he could
feel his breath, and the next minute he disappeared in the
frost rime. Sometimes he caught a glimpse of enormous
paws beating the air, and more than once they touched him
so near that his clothes were torn by the sharp claws, and he
leaped back in affright.
But in leaping back the Doctor felt his foot struck rising
ground, and by the help of his hand he succeeded in getting
on the top of first one block of ice and then another and
another, till he reached at last the summit of an iceberg
nearly ninety feet high, and foimd himself in clear air, quite
above the level of the fog.
" That's capital I " he said, and looking round, discovered
his three companions also emerging from the frost rime.
"Hatteras!"
" Doctor Clawbonny 1 "
"BeU!"
" Simpson ! *'
These exclamations were almost simultaneous. The sky
was illumined by a magnificent halo, which tinged the frost
rime with its soft rays, and gave it the appearance of liquid
silver, from which the peaks of the icebergs issued.
The travelers discovered they were in a sort of amphi-
theater about a hundred feet in diameter, and though tiiey
had each clambered up different icebergs, and were consid-
erable distances apart, yet, thanks to the intense cold, and
extreme purity of the atmosphere, they could hear one an-
other's voice quite easily, and were able to carry on a con-
versation.
Whereas the sledge ? '* asked the captain.
Down there, eighty feet below," replied Simpson.
Is it all right?"
u
ti
it
" FirstFrate."
354 AT THE NORTH POLE
" And what about the bear? " inquireii the Doctor.
"What bear?''
" The bear I met, that ahnost made me break my neck."
"W bear!" exclaimed Hatteras; "we had better look
after him."
" No, no! " said the Doctor; " we should only lose pur-
selves, and gain nothing by it."
" Well, but suppose he fell on our dogs? "
At that very moment Duk began barking furiously, and
Hatteras exclaimed :
" That's Duk 1 I'm sure there's something up 1 I'm go-
ing down, at any rate."
" Stop, Hatteras, stop! I think the fog is clearing," said
the Doctor.
It was not clearing, but it was gradually getting lower,
like a pond getting empty. It seemed to sink into tihe earth
from whence it had risen.
Soon the top of the sledge appeared, then the dogs ; then
about thirty other animals were seen, and large, shapeless
moving masses. Duk was leaping and jumping about, ap-
pearing and disappearing in the fog.
" Foxes ! " exclaimed Bell.
"Bears!" said the Doctor. "I can see one — three —
five!"
" Let's see to the dogs and the provisions," shouted Simp-
son.
It was high time, for a whole pack of foxes and bears
had attacked the sledge and were making fine havoc of the
food. The dogs barked might and main, but their fury had
no effect, and the work of pillage was fast going on.
" Fire ! " cried Hatteras, discharging his gun.
His companions followed his example immediately, to the
evident alarm of the four-footed robbers, for the whole
troop scampered away at once, and speedily disappeared
among the icebergs.
CHAPTER XXIX
THE CAIRN
This peculiar phenomenon of the Arctic regions lasted
about three-quarters of an hour, so that the bears and foxes
had time to regale themselves comfortably. The supply
was most opportune for the poor starving animals, and they
had not been backward in profiting by it, for the marks of
their sharp claws were all over the sledge. Cases of pem-
mican were broken open and emptied, bags of biscuits de-
voured, tea strewn among the snow, and one keg of spirits
of wine smashed to pieces, and all the contents lost ; blankets,
and skins, and coverings tossed here and there in all direc-
tions — ^nothing had been left untouched by the famished and
voracious beasts.
" This is a bad job for us," said Bell, contemplating the
scene of desolation.
" One that can't be remedied, I fear," added Simpson.
"We had better see what mischief has been done first,
and then talk about it afterwards, I think," said the Doctor.
Hatteras made no remark, but busied himself silently in
collecting the scattered bags and cases. The loss of any of
the spirits of wine was most vexatious, for without it there
would be an end to tea and coffee, or any warm beverage
whatever. After picking what biscuits and pemmican were
still eatable, the Doctor made an estimate of the damage
done, and found that 200 pounds of pemmican and 150
pounds of biscuits had disappeared; so that if the journey
was to be continued, they must be content with half the
usual rations.
It became a question, therefore, whether to go on or re-
turn to the ship, and recommence the expedition. But to
return wotdd be to lose 150 miles already gained, and, more-
over, to return without the coal would have a most disastrous
eflFect on the crew !
All but Simpson decided in favor of going on, even at the
price of the hardest privations. The poor fellow's health
had begun to give away, and he was anxious to be back on
board ship; but, finding he stood alone in his opinion, he
3nelded to the others, and resumed his place beside the sledge.
The monotonous journey went on much as usual, un-
marked by any fresh event till the 1 7th of January, when the
whole aspect of the region suddenly changed. A great num-
355
356 AT THE NORTH POLE
ber of sharp towering peaks, like pointed pyramids, appeared
on the horizon, and the soil in certain places rose above the
snow. It was composed apparently of gneiss, schist, and
quartz, with some admixture of chaUcy rock. The travelers
had reached firm land once more, and this land could be ncme
other than New G^mwalL
The Doctor congratulated himself on being oflF the treach-
erous ice, and only a hundred miles from Cape Belcher; but,
strangely enough, the difficulties of the journey increased
rather than diminished, and they soon had cause to regret the
smooth, almost unbroken ice over which the sledge could
glide with comparative ease, for the road was rugged in the
extreme, full of sharp rocks, and precipices, and creviced
They were obliged to make a circuitous course towards the
interior, to get to the top of the steep cliffs on the coast, and
across tremendous gorges, where the snow was piled up
thirty or forty feet high.
It was hard work to drag the sledge along, for the dogs
were exhausted, and the men had to harness themselves and
help. Several times everything had to be taken out of it be-
fore they could get to the top of some steep hill, the
sides of which afforded no foothold for man or beast
On the evening of the second day after their arrival on tiie
coast of New Cornwall, the men were so completely ex-
hausted that they were unable to erect their usual snow-hut.
They passed the night under the tent, wrapped in their buf-
falo skins, and tried to dry their wet stockings by the heat of
their own bodies. Before morning the thermometer fell to
44* and the mercury froze.
The inevitable consequences of such exposure followed.
Simpson's health was shaken alarmingly; an obstinate cold
clung to him, and violent rheumatic pains, which obliged him
to lie all day on the sledge. Bell had to take his place in
guiding the dogs, for though he was far from well, he waa
not unable to keep about The Doctor also suffered con-
siderably, but he never complained; he held out bravely,
and went first to act as scout. Hatteras, impassible, impene-
trable, and hard as ever, was as strong as the first day, and
walked silently behind the sledge.
On the 20th of January the temperature was so low that
the slightest exertion was followed by complete prostration ;
and yet the road was so rugged and difficult that the Doctor,
THE CAIRN 357
and Bell, and Hatteras, too, had to harness diemseWes
to the sledge with the dogs. Constandy jolting over the
uneven ground had broken the front part, and it was neces-
sary to stop and repair it Delays like these soon became
frequent
The three men were jogging along through a deep ravine,
where the snow was up to their waists, and the perspiration
was streaming from every pore in spite of the intense cold,
when Bell, who was nearest the Doctor, looked at him in
alarm, and, without saying a word, caught up a handful of
snow, and began rubbing his worthy friend's face as vigor-
ously as possible, to the great bewilderment of the Doctor,
who tried to push him off, exclaiming :
"What now. Bell?"
But Bell still went on rubbing, till the little man's eyes,
nose, and mouth were all full of snow, and he called out
again:
" I say. Bell, what's all this ? Are you mad ? What do
you mean ? "
" I mean this, that you have me to thank for it if you still
have a nose."
" A nose ? " replied the Doctor, putting up his hand to his
face.
" Yes, Mr. Clawbonny, you were completely frost-bitten.
Your nose was quite white when I looked at you, and with-
out my rough treatment you would have lost an ornament
that is very necessary in Ufe, though rather inconvenient in
traveling."
Bell was right A few minutes longer, and the Doctor's
nose would have been gone, but, happily, friction had re-
stored the circulation, and the danger was past
'* Thanks, Bell ; I'll do as much for you some day, per-
haps."
" I quite reckon on it, and Heaven grant we may have
no worse misfortunes to come ! " replied the carpenter.
" Ah I you refer to Simpson ; the poor fellow is in great
pain."
" Have ]rou any fear for him? " asked Hatteras, quickly.
" I have captain."
" What is it you apprehend. Doctor? "
" A violent attack of scurvy. His legs are swelling al-
ready, and his gums are affected. There he lies wrapp^ up
3S8 AT THE NORTH POLE
in the blankets, half-frozen, and these constant jolts ag-
gravate his sufferings. I pity him, Hatteras, but I can do
nothing for him ! "
" Poor Simpson ! " murmured Bell.
" Perhaps we might rest a day or two," suggested the
Doctor.
" Rest a day or two I " cried Hatteras, " when the lives
of eighteen men hang on our return I *'
" Still " began the Doctor.
"Clawbonny, Bell, listen to me. We have only food
enough for twenty days! Can we aflFord to waste an in-
stant?"
Neither the Doctor nor Bell made any reply, and the
sledge went on.
In the evening the little cavalcade stopped at the foot of
an ice-hill, in which Bell soon cut out a cave to shelter them
for the night
The Doctor stayed up with Simpson, while the others
slept, for the scurvy had made frightful ravages on the poor
man's frame already, and he moaned piteotisly with pain.
Ah ! Mr. Clawbonny," he said.
Come, cheer up, my lad I " replied the Doctor.
I shall never go backl I feel iti I can go no farther;
I would rather die."
The Doctor only replied by redoubling his attentions.
Forgetting his own fatigue, he busied himself in preparing
some soothing draught for his suffering patient, for lime-
juice and friction were now powerless.
When morning came, the unfortunate man had to be re-
placed on the sledge, though he entreated to be left behind
to die in peace. The weary march was resumed, amid in-
creasing difficulties, for icy fogs pierced the travelers to the
very marrow, and hail and snow lashed their faces with
merciless severity.
Duk, like his master, seemed to feel nothing, and showed
wonderful sagacity in finding out the best road.
On the morning of the 23rd, when it was nearly quite
dark, as there was a new moon, Duk was suddenly missing.
He had been out of sight for several hours, and Hatteras
grew imeasy, for the tracks of bears were pretty numerous.
He was just considering what was best to be done, when
he caught the soud of loud, furious barking in the distance,
it
THE CAIRN 359
and, urging tfie sledge forward, soon came up to his faithful
beast at the bottom of a ravine.
Duk was standing motionless in front of a sort of cairn,
and barking violently.
** This time it is a cairn, at all events," said the Doctor,
"-What's that to us? " asked Hatteras.
" Hatteras, if it is a cairn, it may contain some valuable
document for us, or perhaps it is a depot of provisions, and
that is worth our while to look at."
" And what European can have been this way ? " said the
captain, shrugging his shoulders.
"But though no European has been, may not the
Esquimaux have been here and made a hiding-place for the
spoils of their hunting and fishing? It is quite in keeping
with their habits."
" Well, well, Clawbonny, examine it if you choose, but I
question if you get anything for your pains."
By the help of mattocks the cairn was soon demolished,
and a box was discovered, inside which was a paper quite
damp with moisture. The Doctor seized it with a beating
heart, and handed it to Hatteras, who read as follows :
" Altam — , Porpoise 13 Dec. i860 I2* longitude, S 55** lat."
" The Porpoise! " said the Doctor.
" The Porpoise! *^ repeated Hatteras. " I know no vessel
of th^t name that has been in these seas."
" It is quite evident that whatever vessel she is, her crew,
or possibly some of her shipwrecked men, passed this way
less than two months ago," replied Clawbonny.
" That is quite certain," added Bell.
" What shall we do? " asked the Doctor.
"Continue our journey," replied Hatteras, coldly. "I
know nothing of the Porpoise, but I know that the brig
Forward is waiting our return."
CHAPTER XXX
THE DEATH OF SIMPSON
The journey was resumed, each of the party absorbed
in his own reflections about the unexpected discovery just
made. Hatteras knit his brows uneasily, and said to him-
self :
36o AT THE NORTH POLE
''What vessel can this be? What is she doing so near
the Pole?"
The Doctor and Bell only thought of going to the rescue
of some poor fellows like themselves, or being rescued by
them.
But before long they were engrossed enough with their
own dangers and difficuhies, for their situaticm became
hourly more perilous.
Simpson was getting gradually worse, and the Doctor's
practiced eye saw death rapidly approaching. He could do
nothing for him; he was suffering acutely himself from
ophthalmia, "Which might end in total blindness without care.
The twilight was strong enough now to cause a glaring re*
flection on the snow which burnt the eyes. Spectacles would
have been some protection, but it was impossible to wear
them, as the glasses became encrusted with ice immediately,
and consequently perfectly opaque, and yet it was necessary
to keep a constant look-out to avoid accidents. This must
be done at all risks, so Bell and the Doctor agreed to imder-
take the duty in turn, and bandage their eyes in the intervals.
On the 2Sth of January the road become even more dang-
erous and difficult, from the steep decUvities they met witfi
constantly, when one false step would have precipitated them
into deep ravines.
Towards evening a violent tempest swept over the snowy
ridges, and soon increased to such a hurricane, that they
were forced to stop and lie down on the groimd. But the
temperature was so low that they would all inevitably have
been frozen to death, had not Bell succeeded after much
difficulty in making a snow hut, in which they took shelter
and recruited themselves scantily with a few morsels of
pemmican and some hot tea. There were only four gallons
of spirits of wine now remaining, as it was not only used in
making tea and coffee, but in getting water to drink, for it
must not be imagined that snow can be employed to quench
thirst without being melted. In temperate countries, where
the thermometer is scarcely ever so low as freezing point,
it might not be injurious, but beyond the polar circle it is
quite a different matter. The snow there is so intensely
cold, that one could no more lay hold of it with the naked
hand than red-hot iron ; consequently, there is such a differ-
ence of temperature between it and tihe stomach, that swal*
THE DEATH OF SIMPSON 361
lowing any portion would actually cause suffocation. The
Esquimaux would rather endure prolonged agonies of thirst
than attempt to relieve it with snow.
At three in the morning, when the storm outside was at
the worst, the Doctor was taking his turn at watch, and
sitting in a comer of the hut, leaning against the wall, when
a piteous moan from Simpson aroused his attention. He
rose hastily to go to him, and struck his head against the
roof, but thinking nothing more of it, he stooped down be-
side Simpson, and began rubbing his blue swollen legs. He
had continued the friction for about a quarter of an hoiu*,
when he wanted to shift his position. On trying to get up,
for he had been kneeling, he knocked his head against the
roof a second time.
'^ This is strange ! " he said to himself, and put his hand
to feel above him. The roof was sinking, there was no
mistake.
" Quick, quick, friends I " he exclaimed, rousing Bell and
Hatteras, who started up in alarm, and in their turn struck
their heads against the roof.
" We shall be crushed! " cried the Doctor. " Out! out I
this minute."
It was pitch-dark inside, but they managed to drag Simp-
son through the opening, and just saved themselves in time,
for the next minute the entire hut fell in with a loud noise.
The tmfortunate travelers were now exposed to the full
fury of the tempest, in addition to the extreme cold. Hat-
teras hastened to put up the tent; but it would not stand
before the violence of the hurricane, and all they could do
was to shelter themselves beneath the canvas, which was
soon covered with a thick coating of snow, and preserved
the poor fellows from being frozen alive.
Towards morning the storm abated, and the little party
prepared to start afresh. In harnessing the dogs. Bell dis-
cerned that the wretched, half-starved animals had begun
to gnaw their leather traces, and two of the beasts were evi-
dently ill, and would not be able to go very far.
They set out again, however, for sixty miles more had
yet to be traversed before they reached the goal.
On the 26th, Bell, who was in advance, called out suddenly
to his companions. On hastening towards him, he pointed
out a gun placed bolt upright against a mass of ice.
362 AT THE NORTH POLE
Hatteras lifted it up, and found it loaded and in good con-
dition.
" The men belonging to the Porpoise cannot be far oflF ! "
exclaimed the Doctor.
On examination, the gun proved to be of American manu-
facture, and the very touch of it sent a thrill through the
veins of the captain.
" Forward ! " he said, in hollow tones, and the cavalcade
marched on, down the steep sides of the mountains. Simp-
son appeared to be insensible ; his strength was too far gone
now to moan.
The storm had by no means ceased, and the sledge went
slower and slower. Only a few miles' progress was made
in twenty-four hours, and, notwithstanding the severest
economy, the stock of provisions was fast decreasing; but
as long as more than enough remained for the journey back,
Hatteras pushed forward.
On the 27th, a sextant was found half buried in the snow,
and then a gourd still containing some brandy, or rather a
lump of ice, in the center of which all the spirit had taken
refuge in the form of a ball of snow.
It was evident that Hatteras had unintentionally got on
the track of some great disaster, for in pursuing the only
practicable road, he was constantly finding evidences of a
terrible shipwreck. The Doctor kept a sharp look-out for
any fresh cairns, but had seen none hitherto.
He felt saddened by the thought, however, that even
should any poor creature be discovered, he could do noth-
ing to help them. His companions and himself were be-
ginning to be in want of everything. Their clothes were
torn, and their provisions getting very scant. Should the
shipwrecked crew be ntmierous, they would all perish with
hunger. Hatteras appeared anxious to hurry away from
the chance of meeting them; but was he not right? Was
he not responsible for the lives of his men? Ought he to
compromise their safety by bringing strangers on board?
Yet these strangers were fellow-men, perhaps fellow-
countrymen ! Ought they to be abandoned without at least
an effort to save them ? The Doctor asked Bell his opinion
about it, but could get no reply. Suffering had hardened
his heart. Clawbonny did not dare to appeal to Hatteras —
all he could do was to trust to Providence.
THE DEATH OF SIMPSON 363
Towards evening Simpson grew worse, and his end
seemed near. His limbs were rigid, and his face wore a ter-
rible despairing look, which changed to one of fierce vindic-
tive rage, whenever his glance fell on Hatteras. A whole
volume of accusations and reproaches, perhaps not un-
merited, might be read in the expression of his eye.
Hatteras did not go near him; he evidently shunned his
presence, and was more tacitun, reserved, and incommunica-
tive than ever.
It was a fearftd night The storm raged with redoubled
violence, and three times the tent had been torn down, and
the snow-drift had beat piteously on the unsheltered men,
blinding their eyes, freezing them to the marrow, and cutting
their faces with the sharp pieces of ice broken off the sur-
rounding icebergs. The dogs howled lamentably, and poor
Simpson lay dying. Bell succeeded once more in securing
the tent, which, frail as it was, protected them from snow,
if not from cold, but a sudden blast tore it up a fourth time,
and whirled it completely away.
" Really this is beyond endurance I " exclaimed Bell.
" Courage ! " said the Doctor, catching hold of his ami
to keep himself from being blown down the ravine.
The death-rattle was heard in Simpson's throat Sud-
denly he made one expiring effort, half raised himself, shook
his clenched fist at Hatteras, who looked at him with fixed
steady gaze, and fell back lifeless, with the unspoken execra-
tion on his lips.
" Dead ! " exclaimed the Doctor.
''Dead! "echoed Bell.
Hatteras came forward to look, but was driven back by
the wind. The dead man coimted him his murderer, but
he was not overwhelmed by the accusation, though a tear
escaped his eye, and stiffened on his pale cheek.
This was the first of the crew that had fallen a victim—
the first who would never return to England — the first who
paid the penalty with his life of the captain's indomitable
obstinacy.
The Doctor and Bell gazed at him with a sort of terror,
as he stood motionless the livelong night, resting on his stick,
as if defying the tempest that roared about him.
CHAPTER XXXI
THE RETURN TO THE '' FORWARD **
!About six in the morning, the wind suddenly shifted
north, and became cahn. The sky cleared, and the first
glimmer of twilight silvered the horizon, to be succeeded in
a few days by the golden rays of the sun.
Hatteras went up to his dejected companions, and said in
a gentle, sad voice :
" My friends, we are more than sixty miles still from the
spot mentioned by Belcher. We have just barely enough
food to last us back to the ship. To go farther would be
to expose ourselves to certain death, without profit to any-
one. We will retrace our steps." n#
"You have come to a good resolution, Hatteras, I
think,** said the Doctor. "I would have followed you
wherever you had chosen to go : but our strength is diminish-
ing day by day, and we can scarcely drag one leg after the
other. I heartily approve of your decision."
" And you are of the same mind. Bell? " asked Hatteras.
" Yes, captain I am," was the reply.
" Very well, then," return Hatteras, " we will give our-
selves two days' rest That is not too much. The sledge
is in great need of repair. I think our best plan will be to
make a snow-hut, to shelter us till we are ready to begin our
journey back."
This point settled, all three set to work with ardor, and
soon built up a hut at the bottom of the ravine where they
had last halted.
It must have cost Hatteras a tremendous struggle to re-
linquish his project All this toil and trouble wasted, and
one man's life into the bargain! And how would he be
received by the crew, returning thus empty handed? But
Hatteras felt he could not hold out longer.
He gave all his attention now to the thorough repair of
the sledge. It had not more than 200 lbs. weight to carry,
and was soon brought into working trim. The worn-out,
tattered garments were mended, and new snow shoes and
moccasins replaced the old ones, which were no longer wear-
able. These necessary occupations took up one entire day
and the morning of another, the poor fellows resting them-
selves at the same time after their sore fatigues, and trying
to get up their strength for the weary march back.
364
THE RETURN 365
Ever since they Had been in the hut, tfie Doctor Had re-
marked Duk's strange behavior. The animal kept running
in and out, and going round and round a heap of snow
and ice, giving occasionally a low bark and wagging his tail
impatiently, with an inquiring look at his master.
Clawbonny could not understand what ailed the dog, but
at last came to the conclusion that his restlessness was caused
by the sight of Simpson's corpse, which there had not been
time yet to bury. He resolved to have it interred that very
day, as they were to set off next morning as soon as it was
light
Bell undertook to assist, and the two, provided with mat-
tocks, set off together to dig a deep hole in the bottom of
the ravine. The heap roimd which Duk kept watch seemed
the most favorable spot, and they proceed to lift off the ice
and snow, which seemed lying in layers. After removing
the snow, they attacked the ice; but at the third stroke the
Doctor's mattock encountered some hard substance, which
proved to be a fragment of a wine bottle. Bell, who was
at work on the opposite side, turned up that same instant a
crumpled-up bag, in which were some pieces of biscuit in a
perfect state of preservation.
"Heighol" exclaimed the Doctor. "What's this, I
wonder ? "
He called out to Hatteras, who came up immediately.
Duk still kept on barking, and scratching at the ice with
his paws.
" Can we have come upon a depot of provisions? " a^ed
the Doctor.
" Possibly," said BeU.
Hatteras advanced no opinion, but simply said:
" Go on digging."
More fragments of food soon appeared, and then a case
of pemmican about a quarter full.
" If it is a depot, the bears have certainly been here be-
fore us, for see, nothing is whole I " said Hatteras.
" It is to be feared that is the case," replied Clawbonny,
" for——"
He did not finish his sentence, for he was interrupted by
an exclamation from Bell, and looking across, saw he had
uncovered a human leg !
" A corpse ! " cried the Doctor.
366 AT THE NORTH POLE
" It is no depot/' said Hatteras ; " it is a tomb/'
When the corpse was entirely disinterred, it proved
to be that of a young man of not more than thirty years of
age. He wore the common dress of Arctic navigators,
and the Doctor could not form an opinion as to the date
of his death, for the body was in a state of perfect preser-
vation.
Ere long, a second corpse was dug out, a man about fifty
apparently, whose countenance bore traces of evident suffer-
ing.
"These men have never been buried!" exclaimed the
Doctor. " They have met their death by just sudi an ac-
cident as almost befell ourselves."
" You are right, Mr. Clawbonny," replied Bell.
" Go on," said Hatteras.
Bell felt half afraid, for who could say how many more
bodies might be under that heap of ice?
" Their snow hut has fallen in," said the Doctor. " Per-
haps some poor fellow may be still living under the mass.
Let us see."
The whole mass was speedily cleared away, and a third
body dragged out ; that of a man about forty. His appear-
ance was not so cadaverous as the others, and on examining
him closely, the Doctor thought he could perceive some faint
tokens of life.
"He is not dead!" he exclaimed, lifting him up wiA
Bell's assistance, and carrying him into the hut ; while Hat-
teras stood motionless and unconcerned, contemplating the
scene of the catastrophe.
The Doctor proceeded to strip the exhumed man entirely,
and finding no trace of any wound about him, set to work,
with Bell, to try the effect of vigorous friction with wisps of
tow steeped in spirits of wine. By slow degrees they suc-
ceeded in restoring some animation, but the poor fellow was
in such a state of utter exhaustion, that he was quite unable
to articulate, and his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth
as if frozen.
Leaving Bell to continue the treatment. Dr. Gawbonny
searched the pockets of his patient to see if he could find
any letters or papers. But they were empty.
He went out to Hatteras, and found him standing with the
half-burnt envelope of a letter in his hand, whidi he had